Concern rises as hacking probe widens

Four separate investigations are under way after it emerged the number of customers whose personal and credit card details have been stolen from a web-based company has grown to almost 80,000, with thousands more potentially affected.

Gardaí, inspectors from the Data Protection Commissioner, and two sets of private security consultants, are investigating the security breach at Loyaltybuild, which is believed to have been a deliberate, criminal attack.

The Co Clare-based firm, which operates discount hotel break schemes as loyalty rewards for customers of SuperValu and Axa, revealed last week that 40,000 people in this country were affected, but called in gardaí this week after consultants doubled that number.