Webbers Estate Agents warns clients of data breach at third-party provider

Webbers Estate Agents has warned clients that their personal information may have been compromised in a security incident at a third-party service provider.

Managing director Malcolm Prescott emailed customers late Monday, Oct. 5, after the firm became aware of the breach at 4 p.m. that day. The affected information could include names, addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses. Webbers has not reported any compromise of financial information or passwords.

“I would like to stress that our own security has not been breached, rather, data was compromised via third party organizations,” Prescott wrote in the email. He said the problem lay with a business partner of Webbers Property Services Ltd and other estate agents, and that the partners had reassured him that steps had been taken to contain the breach. A local newspaper report said other, unnamed estate agents also had customer details hacked at the same time. Webbers has not confirmed that.

Prescott said he expected to clarify further details within 24 hours. By Thursday evening, the newspaper reported, customers had received no further information.

A Webbers spokesperson said the company is investigating an IT incident that affected a third-party service provider, that its present understanding is the incident involved basic details for a subset of its clients, and that it is working closely with clients and the relevant authorities as a precaution. Webbers has not said how many clients were affected or named the provider. The newspaper report said thousands of people who have dealt with the firm over at least 15 years could be at risk and that customers were advised to reset their email account passwords as a precaution.

Prescott warned customers not to respond to or click links in suspicious communications, including phishing emails or from anyone claiming to represent Webbers Property Services Ltd whom they do not know, and to report them to the company’s head office. The firm’s data protection officer, Karlie Baker-Kidwell, has reported the breach to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Webbers operates 13 offices across Somerset, Devon and Cornwall, including in Wellington, Wiveliscombe, Minehead and Dulverton, under the Webbers and Fine & Country brands. It was founded more than 100 years ago.

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