Vans customers have been alerted to the possibility of fraud or identity theft as a result of an ALPHV data breach at the parent firm.
Vans claims that in December 2023, VF Group discovered "unauthorised activities" on a section of its IT systems. It also claimed that no passwords or detailed financial data were stolen.
However, it also stated that "it cannot be excluded" and that attackers may try to make use of the customer data they had taken hold of. The North Face, Dickies, Timberland, and other brands are owned by VF Group.
In an email to its customers, Vans stated that the data breach was discovered by VF Group on December 13 and was "apparently carried out by external threat actors."
The firm says it "immediately took steps" to address the threat, which included shutting down affected IT systems and hiring cybersecurity experts. By 15 December, it says, the hackers were ejected.
"Our investigation revealed that the incident has affected some personal information of our customers that we normally store and process in order to manage online purchases, such as email address, full name, phone number, billing address, and shipping address," the email reads.
However, it stated that the company did not "collect or retain" payment or financial data, such as bank account or credit card information, therefore there was "no chance that any detailed financial information was exposed to the threat actors."
It said that no customers had been affected as of yet, but warned that the issue "may result in attempts at identity theft, phishing, and possibly fraud in general."
It has warned users to be wary of unfamiliar emails, texts, and phone calls seeking personal information. Vans says it has informed the relevant law enforcement agencies and will evaluate its cybersecurity protocols.