Australia-based Woolworth mistakenly emailed an Excel spreadsheet unleashing a data breach of 8000 gift cards containing redeemable codes, and customers' names and email addresses. The total gift card worth came to AU$1,308,505.

Customers purchasing the vouchers on the bargain site Groupon discovered the virtual money had already spent by fast thinkers who had received the leaked email. The 7.5% sale on eGifts, valued at $200 and $100, were redeemable at Big W stores, Caltex fuel stations and at Woolworths.

While the data breach unlikely impacted any Americans, it was reminder of how information could fall into the wrong hands.

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Roy Urrico

Roy W. Urrico specializes in articles about financial technology and services for Credit Union Times, as well as ghostwriting, copywriting, and case studies. Also: writer/editor of a semi-annual newsletter for Association for Financial Technology since 1997 and history projects funded by the U.S Interior Department, National Park Service and Warren County (N.Y.).