Ticketmaster hack: Widnes firm launches damages claim

Ticketmaster sold 292 million tickets in 2017

More than 650 people are claiming for damages of up to £5m against Ticketmaster after the firm was a victim of hackers.

Ticketmaster admitted it had suffered a security breach which affected up to 40,000 UK customers in June.

Many claimants had "suffered multiple fraudulent transactions", while a third endured "significant stress", Widnes-based Hayes Connor Solicitors said.

Ticketmaster has been approached for comment.

The claim was issued at the High Court in Liverpool on Wednesday.

'Still at risk'

The company - which sells tickets online to events- said last year that malicious software on third-party customer support product Inbenta Technologies had caused the hack.

The breach came after a new data law, General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), came into force in May last year.

Ticketmaster said at the time it was confident it had complied with GDPR rules - acting quickly and informing all relevant authorities, including the Information Commissioner's office.

Kingsley Hayes, managing director at Hayes Connor Solicitors - which is representing the 650 claimants - said the court action followed "unsuccessful negotiations" with Ticketmaster.

"Ticketmaster failed to action the breach until two months after it was alerted to the fact by digital bank Monzo," he said.

"More than two thirds of our clients have suffered multiple fraudulent transactions since the serious data breach with the remainder still at risk of having their money stolen or their details used for fraudulent activity in the future."

More than a third suffered "significant stress and heightened anxiety" after attempts were made to hack into their emails, he added.