AU firm Origin Energy confirmed a major hack that exposed the personal data of nearly 900,000 customers was traced to Accenture’s Manila call center. According to reports, the breach involved a former employee who allegedly tried to extort the company by demanding money in exchange for stolen information.
Investigators say the ex-employee copied customer records to a laptop and took it after leaving the company. The stolen data includes names, addresses, phone numbers, emails, billing histories, and partial bank or credit card numbers.
Origin initially said no financial details were accessed, but later admitted that partial card numbers were included. The company apologized, updated its security settings, and asked customers to stay alert for scams.
Accenture declined to comment, citing the ongoing investigation. The Australian Federal Police (AFP) are working with Origin and Accenture to gather evidence, identify those responsible, and disrupt criminal activity.
Experts warn insider threats are hard to stop, with automation and AI seen as possible ways to reduce risks. Moody’s called the breach “credit negative,” pointing to reputational damage, regulatory pressure, and higher costs to retain customers.
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This case adds to a string of corporate breaches in Australia, including Qantas in 2025 and Optus and Medibank in 2022.
