Optimal Payments Launches Breach Investigation

U.K. digital wallet company Optimal Payments is investigating reports that the personal data of customers was compromised and made available on a public domain, Reuters reported yesterday (Oct. 29).

Optimal Payments stated that the alleged data breaches may have impacted two of its units dating as far back as 2012 or earlier.

A source close to the situation told Reuters the compromised data, which includes customer names and email addresses, is up for sale on the “dark Web.”

The company confirmed it has informed the Information Commissioner and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) about the allegations.

Earlier this year, Optimal Payments and Skrill Group, two of the U.K.’s biggest mobile payment companies, merged in a $1.2 billion deal to create a combined company with $697 million in revenue.

The deal combined Optimal’s Neteller digital payment business with Skrill’s e-wallet service. The new business now handles more than 100 payment types in 41 currencies, and has a strong foothold in payments for online gambling, eCommerce and digital media, the companies said in a prepared statement.

Under the new deal, Optimal purchased Skrill from a holding company owned by private equity firm CVC Capital, Investcorp Technology Partners and other shareholders for €720 million ($790 million) in cash and 37.5 million new shares (worth $148 million), along with taking on $280 million in Skrill net debt. Skrill investors will have a 7.9 percent stake in the combined company.

Optimal Payments told Reuters its Neteller and Moneybookers units experienced data breaches back in 2009 and 2010, but it confirmed its customers did not experience any money loss as a result.

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