BookMyForex, the MakeMyTrip‑owned online foreign exchange marketplace,was reportedly hit by a significant data breach that resulted in several customers being defrauded.
Users took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to report unauthorised transactions on their forex cards, primarily in US dollars and Brazilian real. Many also complained that they were unable to access the platform to lock their cards.
One user wrote on X, "Today my forex card hacked. Trying to tell Yes Bank. Everyone says ‘contact that department and give number'… thinking of breaking the card." [sic]
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Another user reported ongoing fraudulent withdrawals, saying, "My Forex card is being used in BRL currency and multiple transactions are happening. Customer support is not reachable. The app also seems to be having troubles. Do look into this immediately."
Responding to the rising complaints, BookMyForex said, "Dear Sir, We understand your concern and assure you that your funds are safe. The issue has been escalated to the card‑issuing bank. Lock your card as a precaution via the app or self‑care portal." [sic]
According to a report by The Economic Times that cites people aware of the developments, Yes Bank is expected to initiate chargeback proceedings for all affected users. However, neither BookMyForex nor Yes Bank has issued an official statement so far on the same.
According to initial assessments, cyber attackers seem to have gained access to sensitive card data, including card numbers, expiry dates and CVVs which allows them to perform large‑scale international online transactions without physical card access, as per the report. Investigators believe the breach may have originated from a compromised database or third‑party system, it added.
The attackers allegedly first carried out small 'test transactions' to confirm card validity before moving to high‑value purchases. A significant volume of fraudulent spending was detected in Brazilian real, a tactic likely aimed at exploiting less‑monitored international merchant channels with weaker KYC enforcement, as per the report.
Following this report, BookMyForex denied allegations of a data breach. "There has been no data breach involving BookMyForex systems or customer data. Yes Bank observed unusual volumes of false transaction attempts on Yes Bank-BookMyForex Multi-Currency Prepaid Forex Cards which resulted in a high number of declined transactions,” a BookMyForex spokesperson was quoted as saying by Mint.
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