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Investigating a Case of Phone Hacking and Theft

In an interview with the BBC, Sue Shore shared her experience of being targeted by scammers, and an investigation revealed that her personal information had been compromised and made publicly available online.

The frequency of data breaches has made it challenging for individuals to determine the best course of action when their personal information is compromised. While it may be tempting to downplay the severity of the situation, there are potential risks associated with data breaches that should not be ignored.

Falling victim to a data breach can significantly increase an individual's vulnerability to targeted attacks by criminals and scammers, who often exploit stolen information for malicious purposes.

A woman, who shared her experience with the BBC, discovered that her personal details had been leaked online, making her a target for scammers. Sue's case highlights the potential consequences of data breaches.

Sue was subjected to a Sim swap attack, a type of scam where attackers deceive network operators into issuing a new Sim card, granting them access to the victim's mobile device.

Sue - a woman smiling while wearing a baseball cap - stands next to a horse. The horse is closer to the camera, with only it's eye and forehead visible beside her. — Sue had her digital life hijacked by scammers

The scammers used the new Sim card to gain control over Sue's online accounts, leveraging her phone as a gateway to her digital life. She described the experience as "horrible" and struggled to regain control of her accounts.

According to Sue, the scammers took over her Gmail account and locked her out of her bank accounts after failing security checks, further complicating the situation.

The attackers also opened a credit card in Sue's name and made purchases totaling over £3,000 in vouchers, exacerbating the financial damage.

To resolve the issue, Sue had to visit her bank and mobile phone provider's branches multiple times, a time-consuming and frustrating process.

However, the scammers did not stop there, as they continued to exploit Sue's compromised information.

Sue revealed that the attackers sent disturbing messages to horse riding groups she was part of, warning of an imminent threat to the horses, which she found particularly distressing.

An investigation using online tools, including haveibeenpwned.com and Constella Intelligence, found that Sue's personal details had been exposed in previous data breaches.

The breaches, which occurred in 2010 and 2019 at PaddyPower and Verifications.io, respectively, had compromised Sue's phone number, email address, date of birth, and physical address, making her a vulnerable target.

According to Hannah Baumgaertner, a cyber expert from Silobreaker, the attackers likely utilized the leaked personal data to carry out the Sim swap attack.

Baumgaertner explained that once the attackers gained access to Sue's phone number, they could intercept security codes sent to verify her identity, allowing them to take control of her Gmail account.

Not all scams involve large sums of money; sometimes, the goal is to exploit existing accounts for personal gain.

Fran, a woman from Brazil, discovered that someone had registered to her Netflix account and increased her monthly subscription, resulting in an unexpected charge of $9.90 (£7.50) on her payment card.

Fran immediately contacted her family members to determine if anyone had added a new profile to their shared account, but they all denied making any changes.

It became clear that Fran's Netflix account had been hijacked by someone looking to freeload, a common type of scam.

Although the exact method used to gain access to Fran's account is unknown, it is likely that the perpetrator exploited a vulnerability or used stolen credentials.

The murky nature of cybercrime makes it challenging to pinpoint a single data breach as the cause of the scam, but it is clear that stolen information can be used in various ways.

An investigation using haveibeenpwned.com found that Fran's email address had been exposed in at least four data breaches, including those at Internet Archive, Trellov, Descomplica, and Wattpad, between 2020 and 2024.

While Fran's Netflix password was not found in publicly known databases, it is possible that it may be stored in other, less accessible databases.

Alon Gal, co-founder of Hudson Rock, noted that there is a significant market for compromised accounts, including those for popular streaming services like Netflix, Disney, and Spotify.

Gal explained that stolen data can be used to facilitate widespread abuse, turning a single company's data leak into a lucrative opportunity for scammers.

Scammers often combine stolen private information with publicly available data to launch targeted attacks.

A woman, who wished to remain anonymous, shared her experience of being targeted in a long-running scam originating from Vietnam, which affected her small business that uses Facebook ads.

The woman, referred to as Leah, received a phishing email from a fake Facebook address, prompting her to click on a link and enter her details on a counterfeit Meta page, allowing the scammers to take control of her business account.

The attackers then posted disturbing content under Leah's name, resulting in her account being blocked, and even prevented her from using Messenger to report the issue to Meta.

During the three days it took Leah to regain control of her account, the scammers had run hundreds of pounds' worth of ads, which she eventually managed to recover.

An investigation by Alberto Casares from Constella Intelligence found that Leah's email address and other details had been compromised in data breaches at Gravatar and Qantas.

Casares explained that the attackers likely used a common technique, linking Leah's private email address with her publicly listed business number, to launch a targeted phishing attack against her email account.

The attackers may have carried out this technique themselves or used a data broker to obtain the necessary information, highlighting the complexity of cybercrime.

Mass data breaches are fueling scams and secondary hacks worldwide, with several high-profile attacks occurring in 2025 alone.

According to Proton Mail's Data Breach Observatory, there have been 794 verified breaches, exposing over 300 million individual records, in 2025.

Eamonn Maguire from Proton Mail noted that criminals are willing to pay premium prices for stolen data, as it consistently generates profit through fraud, extortion, and cyberattacks.

Currently, there are no strict guidelines for companies to follow when dealing with data breach victims, aside from notifying customers and regulators.

In the past, offering free credit monitoring was a common practice, but this is no longer the case.

Last year, Ticketmaster, which experienced a breach affecting 500 million people, offered free credit monitoring to some of those affected.

However, this year, fewer companies, such as Marks and Spencer and Qantas, are providing this service to their customers.

Co-op, on the other hand, opted to provide victims with a £10 voucher, but only if they spent £40 in their stores, highlighting the varying approaches companies take to support data breach victims.

Courts are seeing a rise in class action lawsuits as individuals attempt to secure compensation, despite the challenges posed by these cases, which often hinge on the difficulty of demonstrating a direct impact on plaintiffs.

Notable exceptions have emerged, however, where plaintiffs have managed to achieve favorable outcomes.

Following a significant data breach in 2021 that exposed the information of 76 million customers, T-Mobile has initiated compensation payments to those affected.

As part of a settlement, the company has agreed to pay a total of $350 million, with individual payouts said to range from $50 to $300.

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Tottenham set to appoint temporary boss ahead of permanent summer hire

Tottenham expect to appoint an interim manager to oversee the team for the rest of the season by this weekend, with plans to make a permanent appointment in the summer.

The task of finding a successor to Thomas Frank has fallen to Johan Lange and Vinai Venkatesham, who are overseeing the selection process.

Tottenham Hotspur intends to appoint an interim manager to see out the current season, with a view to making a more permanent appointment during the summer months.

The dismissal of Thomas Frank occurred earlier this week, at a time when the team was five points clear of the relegation zone.

According to sources close to BBC Sport, Tottenham Hotspur is expected to finalize an agreement with an interim manager before the team resumes training on Monday.

Following their early exit from the FA Cup in the third round, Tottenham has a nine-day break before facing Arsenal in the north London derby on February 22.

With no match scheduled for this weekend, the first-team squad has been given a brief break and is set to return to training on Monday.

The club is aware that the mid-season transfer window presents limited options, and it may be more feasible to secure a long-term manager at the end of the campaign.

An in-depth examination of Thomas Frank's tenure reveals the challenges he faced in winning over players and fans.

A closer look at Frank's time at Tottenham highlights the risks involved in his appointment and the ultimate failure of his tenure.

Although the search for an interim manager is still ongoing, the successful candidate will be considered for the permanent position if they perform well in the role.

Former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino is a potential candidate to take the reins on a permanent basis, particularly since his contract with the US men's national team is set to expire after the World Cup this summer.

Another candidate being considered is Roberto De Zerbi, who recently parted ways with French club Marseille by mutual consent.

For the latest news, analysis, and fan perspectives on Tottenham, please refer to our dedicated section.

If you have any questions about Tottenham, feel free to ask and we will do our best to provide you with the information you are looking for.

News

Aberdeen to unveil new manager soon with Docherty set to take assistant role

Aberdeen has bolstered its interim management team with the return of Tony Docherty, who previously served as an assistant manager, to support Peter Leven, amid anticipation of a permanent appointment announcement that sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel had indicated would be made “imminently”.

Ross County parted ways with Tony Docherty in December, and he has now taken on a new role.

Aberdeen have brought in former assistant manager Tony Docherty to support Peter Leven's interim management team, despite sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel indicating that a permanent appointment was imminent.

Docherty's return to Aberdeen comes just a week after Eirik Horneland, a former coach of Rosenborg, Brann, and Saint-Etienne, emerged as a top contender to succeed Jimmy Thelin, who was sacked earlier.

As Aberdeen delays making a full-time appointment, speculation surrounding Eirik Horneland's availability has arisen, with reports suggesting the 50-year-old Norwegian may not be able to take on the role until summer.

Since Jimmy Thelin's dismissal on January 4, Lutz Pfannenstiel has been leading the search for a replacement, and he confirmed that Tony Docherty would be joining the team to assist Peter Leven during the interim period.

Dundee Utd are facing a challenging schedule, with four matches in 14 days set to take place on a weather-affected pitch.

According to Stavrum, Eirik Horneland's coaching style, characterized by intensity, would be a good fit for Aberdeen.

Tony Docherty initially joined Aberdeen in 2013 as part of Derek McInnes' management team and spent eight years at the club.

Before his stint at Aberdeen, Docherty served as McInnes' assistant at Kilmarnock and later managed Dundee and Ross County, but his time at Ross County ended in December when he was let go with the team at the bottom of the Championship.

Lutz Pfannenstiel praised Tony Docherty's experience, stating that he has a deep understanding of the club and will be a valuable asset during the transition period.

Pfannenstiel highlighted Docherty's extensive knowledge of the Scottish Premiership, gained through his experience as both a coach and manager, which will be beneficial to the team in the short term.

The club's managerial search is nearing its conclusion, and an announcement regarding the new head coach is expected soon, according to Pfannenstiel.

Peter Leven, who is serving as caretaker manager for the third time, expressed his enthusiasm for Tony Docherty's appointment.

Leven welcomed Docherty's return, stating that his experience will be a significant boost to the team, particularly during the upcoming matches.

Leven noted that Docherty was eager to join the team and that his presence will provide valuable support during both training sessions and matches.

Eirik Horneland left his position at Saint-Etienne in early February, at which point his team was fourth in France's second tier.

If Aberdeen decides to wait until summer for Horneland to take over, it will be similar to the six-month delay that occurred when Jimmy Thelin joined the club from Elfsborg in the summer of 2024.

For the latest news, analysis, and fan perspectives on Aberdeen, visit our dedicated page.

News

Peter Murrell faces allegations of misusing £459,000 in funds over 12 years

Allegations have been made that he bought various items, such as luxury goods, jewellery, cosmetics, two cars and a motorhome, in an improper manner.

Peter Murrell, the former chief executive of the Scottish National Party, is facing allegations of embezzling £459,000 from the party over a 12-year period.

Peter Murrell looking off to his right while sitting in a room. He is wearing a black suit, white shirt and dark coloured tie. — Peter Murrell is due to appear in court next Friday for a preliminary hearing

An indictment document obtained by BBC News outlines the case against Murrell, who is the estranged husband of former Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

The alleged embezzlement is said to have occurred between August 2010 and January 2023, according to the indictment.

It is claimed that Murrell used party funds to purchase luxury items, including jewellery, cosmetics, and vehicles, such as two cars and a motorhome.

The Scottish Sun was the first to report on the details of the indictment.

A preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled to take place at the High Court in Glasgow on Friday, 20 February, where Murrell is expected to appear.

During his initial court appearance at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, Murrell made no plea and was subsequently granted bail.

Murrell's arrest in 2023 was part of Operation Branchform, a police investigation into the SNP's funding and finances, which led to him being charged with embezzlement in April 2024.

A police van and a police officer outside Murrell's home in April 2023. — Murrell was arrested in 2023 as part of a probe into the SNP's finances

Although Sturgeon was questioned by police as part of the investigation, she is no longer considered a suspect.

BBC News has obtained a copy of the indictment against Murrell ahead of his upcoming court appearance.

It is worth noting that the indictment is subject to change until the case is heard in court and may be amended throughout the judicial process.

The indictment alleges that Murrell purchased a £124,550 motorhome for personal use and created false documents to justify the expense as a legitimate party expenditure.

Murrell is also accused of using £57,500 of party funds to buy a Jaguar I-PACE car in 2019, and falsifying an invoice to conceal the true nature of the purchase.

Furthermore, it is alleged that when the Jaguar was sold in 2021, Murrell deposited more than £47,000 into his personal bank account.

The indictment also claims that Murrell embezzled £16,489 from the SNP to partially fund the purchase of a Volkswagen Golf in 2016.

A list of over 80 retailers is included in the indictment, where Murrell allegedly made purchases totalling more than £159,000 between 2014 and 2022, using party credit or charge cards for personal expenses.

The retailers named in the indictment include Harrods, the Royal Mint, John Lewis, Homebase, and Argos, among others.

It is alleged that Murrell used SNP credit or charge cards to make these purchases and then inserted false or inaccurate accounting codes and descriptions into the party's accounting systems.

The indictment also accuses Murrell of making purchases worth over £81,600 through Amazon using the same method.

Murrell served as the SNP's chief executive for 22 years before his departure.

Murrell and Sturgeon were married in 2010, but announced their separation in January 2025, after being together for many years.