Louis Vuitton Hong Kong probed over major data breach impacting 419,000 customers

A government privacy watchdog has opened a formal investigation into Louis Vuitton Hong Kong following a data breach that potentially exposed the personal information of nearly half a million customers.

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD) announced on Saturday that Louis Vuitton Hong Kong had notified the authority of the breach on July 17. The notification came more than a month after the French fashion house’s head office first detected suspicious activity in its systems on June 13. On July 2, it confirmed that the incident had impacted customers in Hong Kong.

According to the PCPD, preliminary findings show the breach may have compromised data belonging to about 419,000 customers. The information potentially exposed includes names, passport numbers, dates of birth, physical and email addresses, phone numbers, shopping history, and product preferences.

The PCPD said it would investigate the incident in accordance with established procedures, including whether there was a delay in notification. As of the latest update, the office had not received any related complaints or public inquiries.

In a statement, Louis Vuitton Hong Kong said it had discovered unauthorized access to customer data and responded quickly to investigate and contain the breach with the help of cybersecurity experts. The company emphasized that the compromised database did not include any payment information.

“We sincerely regret any concern or inconvenience this situation may cause,” the company said. “We continuously work to update our security measures to protect against the evolving threat landscape and have taken steps to further strengthen the protection of our systems.”

Louis Vuitton said it is working to notify affected customers and relevant regulatory bodies as the investigation continues. The privacy commissioner urged all organizations to report data breaches promptly to ensure timely assistance and risk mitigation for affected individuals. The office also advised potential victims to remain alert, monitor their financial accounts, and be cautious of suspicious messages, emails, or phone calls to guard against phishing or identity theft.

Louis Vuitton is part of the LVMH Group, one of the world’s leading luxury goods conglomerates. The company has not yet disclosed whether the breach affected customers in other regions.