At Miscarriage UK, protecting the personal information you share with us is incredibly important. We are committed to being open with our community, which is why we are sharing information about a recent data security incident involving Beacon CRM, the secure platform we use to manage our supporter database.
Everyone whose information was held on the affected database has been contacted directly by email with details of the incident. We are also publishing this update to keep our wider community informed.
At this stage, there is no evidence that any information has been misused. However, we want to explain what has happened, what information may have been affected, and the steps we are taking in response.
We would also like to reassure you that no financial information, including payment card details, is stored within Beacon CRM, so this has not been affected.
We understand this news may be concerning and we are sincerely sorry for any worry or upset it may cause.
What happened?
On Monday 3 August, Beacon CRM notified charities that it had identified a cyber security incident affecting its systems. Beacon provides customer relationship management services to more than 1,500 charities across the UK, and the incident may have resulted in unauthorised access to some supporter information held within its platform. Beacon has engaged specialist cyber security experts to investigate the incident and continues to work to establish exactly what happened.
What information may have been affected?
The information we hold varies depending on your relationship with Miscarriage UK and the information you have chosen to share with us.
Our records may include some, or in limited cases all, of the following:
- Name
- Postal address
- Telephone number
- Email address
- Donation history and Gift Aid status
- Date of birth (where provided)
- Photographs (where provided)
What are we doing?
Protecting your personal information is extremely important to us. Since being notified of the incident, we have taken a number of steps, including:
- Reviewing the information that may have been affected.
- Completing Beacon CRM’s security assessment process.
- Assessing the potential risks to the individuals whose information we hold.
- Reporting the incident to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
- Continuing to monitor the situation closely as Beacon CRM’s investigation progresses.
What happens next?
We remain in regular contact with Beacon CRM and will continue to monitor developments as its investigation continues. If we receive any new information that changes our understanding of the incident or requires any action from you, we will let you know as soon as possible.
Is there anything you need to do?
Although we believe the risk to individuals is low, we recommend remaining vigilant for phishing emails, scam text messages or unexpected phone calls.
Please be cautious of any unsolicited communication asking you to confirm personal information or click on links. Before opening attachments or following links, take a moment to check that the message is genuine. Never share passwords, verification codes or financial information in response to unexpected requests.
We are incredibly grateful for the trust you place in Miscarriage UK and for your continued support. We never take that trust for granted, and we are very sorry for any concern this incident may cause.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us by email at [email protected].
How will I know if a communication from Miscarriage UK is genuine?
We understand you may have questions about how to recognise genuine communications from Miscarriage UK following this incident. Here’s what you can expect from us:
Phone calls
Miscarriage UK does not make unsolicited phone calls asking for donations. We may occasionally contact existing supporters by phone, for example to discuss an event they have signed up for or another aspect of their support.
Emails
We send a monthly newsletter, along with occasional emails about fundraising events, campaigns, appeals and other charity updates.
Letters
We do not send unsolicited letters. However, we may write to existing supporters or send items by post, such as fundraising packs, event materials or running T-shirts.
Text messages and WhatsApp
Where you have given your consent, we may occasionally contact you by text message or WhatsApp with information about fundraising activities or other relevant updates.
If you ever receive a communication claiming to be from Miscarriage UK and are unsure whether it is genuine, please do not respond or share any personal information until you have verified it. You can contact us at [email protected] and we’ll be happy to help.