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MyDeal Data Breach 2022:
What You Need to Know

Approximately 2.2 million MyDeal customer records were exposed after an unauthorised party accessed the company's CRM system using a compromised credential. Here is what happened, what data was accessed, and steps you can take to protect yourself.

Breach date:October 2022
Records affected:~2.2 million
Risk level:Medium

Your personal risk from this breach

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What Happened

How the MyDeal Breach Unfolded

October 2022

An unauthorised party gained access to MyDeal's CRM system using a compromised user credential. The attacker was able to access customer data stored within the CRM platform.

October 2022

MyDeal detected the unauthorised access and immediately took steps to restrict access to the affected system. Woolworths Group was notified as MyDeal's parent company.

October 2022

MyDeal publicly disclosed the breach, confirming that approximately 2.2 million customers were affected. The company notified the OAIC and began contacting affected customers via email.

Late October 2022

MyDeal confirmed that the breach was limited to data held in the CRM system. No payment information, passwords, or government identity documents were involved. Woolworths confirmed its own customer systems were completely separate and unaffected.

Sources: ABC News (Oct 2022), ABC News (Oct 2022)

What Was Exposed

Personal Data Accessed in the Breach

The amount of data exposed varies between customers. The majority of affected customers had only their email addresses accessed. A smaller subset also had names, phone numbers, delivery addresses, and (in limited cases) dates of birth exposed.

Data TypeRisk LevelWho Was Affected
Email addressMediumMajority of approximately 2.2 million affected customers
Full nameMediumSubset of affected customers
Phone numberMediumSubset of affected customers
Delivery addressMediumSubset of affected customers
Date of birthMediumLimited subset: only where provided for age verification purposes

Risk levels based on the Australian Government's PSPF and OAIC Australian Privacy Principles. This breach is rated Medium as no identity documents or financial information were exposed.

Confirmed NOT Exposed

MyDeal confirmed that no payment details, credit card numbers, bank account information, passwords, driver licence numbers, passport numbers, or Medicare numbers were stored in the compromised CRM system. Woolworths' own systems were completely unaffected, as MyDeal operates on a separate network.

Company Response

What MyDeal Did

Actions Taken by MyDeal

  • Immediately restricted access to the compromised CRM system
  • Notified Woolworths Group, the OAIC, and relevant authorities
  • Began contacting affected customers via email
  • Engaged external cybersecurity specialists to investigate
  • Implemented additional security controls on CRM and internal systems
  • Confirmed Woolworths' own systems were on a separate network and unaffected

What Now?

Steps You Can Take After the MyDeal Breach

Since no passwords, identity documents, or financial data were exposed, the primary risk from this breach is targeted phishing and spam. The steps below are organised by category to help minimise that risk.

MyDeal and Shopping Accounts

Your MyDeal account details were exposed. Other shopping accounts may use the same email.

Update your MyDeal account password

~5 min
It is generally considered best practice to update the password on any MyDeal account associated with the exposed email address. Enabling MFA where available adds a significant layer of protection.

Review other online shopping accounts

Where the same email address or password has been used across multiple online shopping accounts, consider updating credentials on those accounts as well. Credential reuse remains one of the most common ways a single breach leads to broader exposure.

Email and Digital Identity

Your email is the key to your digital identity. Securing it is a sensible first step.

Strengthen email security

~5 min
Updating the password and enabling MFA on email accounts associated with the breach is widely recommended. It is also worth checking email forwarding rules and connected app permissions, as these can be exploited to silently intercept communications.

Understand your full account exposure

Most people have dozens of online accounts linked to a single email address. When that email is exposed in a breach, understanding which services are connected is a critical first step in assessing personal risk. Tools that map your digital footprint can help identify accounts that may need attention.

General Vigilance

No identity documents or payment details were exposed, so the primary risk is phishing and spam.

Be alert for phishing attempts

Since no identity documents or financial information were exposed in this breach, the main risk is targeted phishing and spam. Scammers may use exposed email and name details to craft convincing messages. Treat any unsolicited contact referencing MyDeal or Woolworths orders with caution.

Note on credit bans

A credit ban is generally not necessary for this breach, as no identity documents (such as driver licence, passport, or Medicare numbers) were exposed. For those who were also affected by breaches where identity documents were leaked (such as Optus or Medibank), placing a credit ban may still be worth considering.

Monitoring and Reporting

Australian resources for breach response and identity protection.

Stay alert for targeted phishing

Scammers may reference MyDeal or Woolworths orders to make phishing messages appear legitimate. Any email, SMS, or call asking for personal details or payment information and claiming to be from MyDeal or Woolworths is worth verifying independently through official channels.

Contact IDCare or report to Scamwatch

IDCare (1800 595 160) is Australia's national identity and cyber support service and provides free, tailored guidance for people affected by data breaches. Reporting to Scamwatch contributes to broader awareness and helps authorities track emerging threats.

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Are You Still at Risk?

The Hidden Danger: Compound Breach Exposure

The MyDeal breach did not happen in isolation. While this breach on its own is relatively low-risk, the combination with other breaches (where identity documents were exposed) could elevate your overall risk significantly.

How breach data compounds

On its own, the MyDeal breach exposed emails, names, phone numbers, and delivery addresses. But if your email also appeared in the Optus or Medibank breaches, the combined data set may include identity documents, Medicare details, and health records. This kind of compound exposure significantly increases the risk of identity fraud, even when individual breaches appear lower-severity.

  • Optus (2022)9.8M records - passport, licence, Medicare numbers
  • Medibank (2022)9.7M records - health claims, Medicare details
  • Latitude Financial (2023)14M records - driver's licence, passport numbers
  • Qantas (2025)5.7M records - name, date of birth, phone, email

If your email appears in two or more of these breaches, your risk level is significantly elevated. In The Event Of can overlay your breach data to show exactly where your exposure compounds, and help you prioritise what to address first.

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Frequently Asked Questions

MyDeal Breach FAQ

Other Major Australian Data Breaches

Data from multiple breaches can be combined to increase identity fraud risk. Review these guides to understand your full exposure.

Disclaimer: This guide is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or professional advice. The information is based on publicly available sources at the time of writing and may not reflect the most current developments. In The Event Of Pty Ltd (ABN 38 687 352 647) is not affiliated with MyDeal.com.au Pty Ltd or Woolworths Group Limited. If you believe you have been affected by this data breach, we recommend contacting the relevant authorities and seeking professional guidance specific to your circumstances.