• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI

2

Former top Russian official admits the country is over Putin and can 'imagine a future without him' — even elites bail as Kremlin seizes their assets 

3

Meet the 20-year-old CEO who launched a company in high school to solve Gen Z's entry-level job crisis

1

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI

2

Former top Russian official admits the country is over Putin and can 'imagine a future without him' — even elites bail as Kremlin seizes their assets 

3

Meet the 20-year-old CEO who launched a company in high school to solve Gen Z's entry-level job crisis
Tech

Raid on Thousands of Tesco Bank Accounts Fuels Cybercrime Fears in U.K.

By
Reuters
Reuters
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Reuters
Reuters
Down Arrow Button Icon
November 7, 2016, 1:12 PM ET
BRITAIN-BANKING-RETAIL-HACKING-FRAUD
A customer uses an RBS branded automated teller machine (ATM), at a Tesco Bank cash point, in Liverpool, north west England, on November 7, 2016. Britain's Tesco Bank said Monday that around 20,000 customers had money stolen from their accounts after it was hit by hackers. The bank, a subsidiary of British supermarket giant Tesco, the UK's biggest retailer, said it was trying to refund accounts that had been subject to fraud as quickly as possible. / AFP / PAUL ELLIS (Photo credit should read PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images)PAUL ELLIS—AFP/Getty Images

Tesco Bank, owned by Britain’s biggest retailer Tesco, halted all online transactions on Monday after money was stolen from 20,000 accounts in the country’s first such cyber heist.

The bank, which manages 136,000 current accounts, did not explain how the thefts had happened but said it would repay people who had lost money in the online bank heist, which targeted 40,000 accounts in all and fueled fears about the British financial sector’s vulnerability.

Tesco Bank’s Chief Executive Benny Higgins told the BBC he thought “relatively small amounts” had been stolen, but the bank declined to give details of how much money in total had been taken or if it knew how the thefts had transpired.

It said “online criminal activity” had resulted in money being “withdrawn fraudulently.” Higgins said the cost of refunding people under its regulatory obligations would be “a big number but not a huge number.”

Cyber security experts said they were still lacking many details about the incident but that it could go down as one of the biggest digital heists on record.

“It is remarkable how many of these accounts were compromised and then pillaged in a relatively short period of time,” Tom Kellermann, an expert in cyber crime who is chief executive of U.S.-based investment firm Strategic Cyber Ventures, said.

Lawmaker Andrew Tyrie, chair of parliament’s powerful finance committee, criticized both banks and regulators for doing too little to improve cyber security after a string of technical failures and breaches of banking systems.

“We can’t go on like this,” Tyrie said in a statement, pledging to take up the issue with both Tesco Bank and regulators.

“Millions of customers remain unnecessarily exposed to the risk of IT failures, including delays in paying bills and an inability to access their own money,” he said.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter

Tesco Bank’s website carried a statement from Higgins apologizing to customers all day on Monday. The bank has about 8 million customers in total, including many who use its credit cards or insurance products but not its current accounts.

Shares in supermarket chain Tesco, which wholly owns Tesco Bank, were down 1.85% at 200.70 pence by 1445 GMT.

Customers could still use their bank cards in shops or to withdraw cash from ATMs, though some voiced frustration at having online transactions blocked.

“Tried to order pizza for dinner but @TescoBank has stopped online transactions. Cheers. What happens when I want to do my online shopping?” Twitter user Catherine Cutting asked.

Rise in Cyber Attacks

The bank is a minnow in Britain’s retail banking market, with about 2% of current accounts, and represents only a small part of Tesco’s overall business.

It contributed 503 million pounds ($623 million) to the group’s revenue of 24.4 billion pounds in the first half of its 2016-17 financial year.

But while the financial hit to the group may be limited, Tesco Bank risks serious reputational damage.

“I will be writing to Tesco Bank’s Chief Executive to find out what went wrong, and what actions are being taken to reduce the likelihood of it happening again,” Tyrie said.

Other British banks have been targeted by such attacks in recent years, but the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulator said it was not aware of any previous incident in which customers had lost money.

Reported attacks on financial institutions in Britain have risen from just five in 2014 to more than 75 so far this year, according to FCA data, but bank executives and providers of security systems say many attacks go unreported.

HSBC apologized earlier this year after its U.K. personal banking websites were shut down by a “denial of service” attack, but no customer funds were at threat.

Other well-known British brands hit by significant cyber attacks over the past year include telecoms firms TalkTalk and Vodafone, business software provider Sage and electronic goods retailer Dixons Carphone.

Outside Britain, Bangladesh Bank lost $81 million in February after yet-to-be-identified cyber criminals hacked into its Dhaka headquarters and pulled the money out of its account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York using fraudulent SWIFT wire transfers.

About the Author
By Reuters
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

murdochs
CommentaryMedia
OpenAI paid $100 million for a talk show. James Murdoch is eyeing an even bigger deal. The hot new asset class is humanity
By Lin CherryMay 17, 2026
16 minutes ago
dennis
CommentaryAI agents
Freshworks CEO: why agile enterprises are winning the AI race — and what they did differently
By Dennis WoodsideMay 17, 2026
31 minutes ago
A man with a headset sits at a desk in a call center.
EconomyAutomation
The AI boom hasn’t stopped U.S. companies from hiring cheap offshore labor, and overseas call center employment is still skyrocketing
By Sasha RogelbergMay 17, 2026
1 hour ago
Zillow CEO doubles down on remote-work model: ‘There is talent everywhere in this country’
Workplace Cultureremote work
Zillow CEO doubles down on remote-work model: ‘There is talent everywhere in this country’
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezMay 17, 2026
1 hour ago
Stressed job seeker
SuccessGen Z
Gen Z is right about the job hunt—it really is worse than it was for millennials, with nearly 60% of fresh-faced grads frozen out of the workforce
By Emma BurleighMay 17, 2026
1 hour ago
A 45,000-person labor strike at Samsung’s memory chip plants could throw a wrench into the AI boom
EconomySamsung
A 45,000-person labor strike at Samsung’s memory chip plants could throw a wrench into the AI boom
By Catherina GioinoMay 17, 2026
4 hours ago

Most Popular

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI
AI
Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI
By Jake AngeloMay 16, 2026
1 day ago
Former top Russian official admits the country is over Putin and can 'imagine a future without him' — even elites bail as Kremlin seizes their assets 
Politics
Former top Russian official admits the country is over Putin and can 'imagine a future without him' — even elites bail as Kremlin seizes their assets 
By Jason MaMay 16, 2026
15 hours ago
Meet the 20-year-old CEO who launched a company in high school to solve Gen Z's entry-level job crisis
Future of Work
Meet the 20-year-old CEO who launched a company in high school to solve Gen Z's entry-level job crisis
By Jake AngeloMay 16, 2026
1 day ago
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
Politics
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
By Jake AngeloMay 12, 2026
5 days ago
‘You’re not a hero, you’re a liability’: Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary warns Gen Z founders to stop glorifying hustle culture
Future of Work
‘You’re not a hero, you’re a liability’: Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary warns Gen Z founders to stop glorifying hustle culture
By Jacqueline MunisMay 16, 2026
1 day ago
Oil markets could be a month away from the moment of truth. Brace for a 'non-linear' price spike and panic buying, analysts warn
Energy
Oil markets could be a month away from the moment of truth. Brace for a 'non-linear' price spike and panic buying, analysts warn
By Jason MaMay 16, 2026
18 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.