Latam announced on Wednesday, the 19th, that a flaw in its security system allowed unauthorized individuals to access customer data. Although the incident was detected on July 29th, the airline did not disclose the exact number of people affected.
The accessible data included full name, date of birth, email address, phone number, and residential address. Additionally, the member number and the customer's classification in the Latam Pass loyalty program, as well as information about mileage and qualifying points balances, were available.
The vulnerability also permitted access to incomplete credit card data. According to the company, the first six and last four digits of the card, the card brand, the cardholder's name, and the expiration date were visible. Latam assures, however, that the full card number and security codes were not exposed, nor were customer passwords.
Due to the exposure of contact information, the company issued an alert, recommending that customers be extra vigilant against possible fraud. Latam stated: 'Since some contact information was viewed, we advise heightened attention regarding potential fake messages or calls.'
The guidance provided by the company is for customers to be suspicious of any contact that uses registration data to request payments, transfers, passwords, or confirmation codes. This caution is crucial because data such as name, phone number, address, and loyalty program details can be used to make scams more believable.
Finally, Latam reiterated that it never requests access passwords, SMS tokens, or complete credit card details through phone calls or messaging applications.