The Iconic isn't the only one saving your payment details. Here's how to protect your bank account when shopping online
by Kate Ainsworth | ABC News | 13th Jan 2024
Over the past few weeks, there have been growing numbers of comments in Facebook groups, Reddit forums and The Iconic's social media profiles made by people saying their accounts have been hacked, with some being charged hundreds of dollars for orders made without their authorisation.
On Tuesday, The Iconic confirmed it had "recently become aware" of an unauthorised third party which had accessed a number of its customers' accounts, leading to some fraudulent orders being made.
As Professor Richard Buckland, a cybersecurity expert at the University of New South Wales, puts it:
"Essentially, you get a whole bag of credentials from the internet, and you just try stuffing them into The Iconic."
Once the hackers manage to log into some accounts, they can change everything from email addresses, passwords and shipping addresses before going on a shopping spree most people could only dream of — while affected customers are none the wiser that they'll be the ones picking up the tab.
Although it can be a hassle to have to confirm your details, Professor Buckland says the harder it is for us to check-out with our payment information, the better for our online security.
"Anything that allows you to easily buy something with as few clicks and steps as possible unfortunately makes you more vulnerable to being scammed or having your data stolen, because it makes it easier for the bad guy to buy something," he says.
"It'd be faster to get into your car if you didn't have to unlock it — faster for you, but also faster for the criminals.
