Data breach at Jims underestimated: 150,000 members affected

A cyberattack on the Belgian Jims fitness chain appears to be much larger than initially thought. Hackers stole personal data from approximately 150,000 members and are now offering it for sale on the dark web. Parent company Colruyt Group is warning about phishing.

31 clubs affected

Between July 13 and 20, an unauthorized party gained access to parts of Jims’ member and customer management system. Initially, Colruyt Group referred to a “limited group of customers,” but it has since become clear that approximately 150,000 members from 31 of the 85 Belgian Jims clubs have been affected.

The stolen data may include names, addresses, dates of birth, email addresses, membership information, and, in some cases, account numbers. According to Colruyt, passwords and health data were not compromised. Other systems within the group are also reported to be unaffected.

“The Belgian Data Protection Authority was notified within the applicable timeframes, in accordance with legal obligations,” Colruyt spokesperson Hanne Poppe told VRT News. The group also filed a complaint with the police.

“Minimizing damage”

The stolen information is now circulating on the dark web. Jims is therefore warning of fraudulent emails, text messages, and phone calls in which criminals may refer to payments, direct debits, or changes to a membership. “Because the affected data was made available online, there is a risk that third parties will attempt to use it for fraudulent purposes, such as phishing via email, text message, or phone,” Jims wrote to its members.

The fitness chain says it has reset the affected accounts, implemented additional security measures, and had fraudulent email addresses and domains blocked. “We deeply regret the situation,” says Poppe. “We immediately took the necessary steps within our systems to limit potential damage and ensure additional protection.”

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