- INC Ransom lately added Greenback Tree to its knowledge leak website
- Greenback Tree responded by saying the info belonged to 99 Cents Solely
- 99 Cents Solely is a reduction retailer that declared chapter in 2024
Hackers are claiming to have breached Greenback Tree and stole its delicate information, however the low cost retail big says it by no means suffered an assault, and the info being waved across the darkish internet doesn’t belong to it.
A ransomware operation referred to as INC Ransom lately added Greenback Tree to its knowledge leak web page, claiming it stole 1.2 terabytes of delicate and private knowledge, threatening to launch it except a ransom is paid. The group supplied a pattern of the stolen knowledge, together with passport scans, and in addition quoted a Greenback Tree press launch by which it introduced the acquisition of 99 Cents Solely leases.
And there’s the rub – Greenback Tree says the info really belongs to 99 Cents Solely – a wholly totally different low cost procuring chain.
99 Cents Solely’s knowledge wasn’t acquired
99 Cents Solely declared chapter in April 2024, citing financial stress from inflation, pandemic results, theft/shrinkage, and stiff competitors. It closed all 371 shops by mid‑2024 after liquidation, and Greenback Tree acquired rights to 170 former leases, together with its North American IP and a few in-store tools.
Greenback Tree repurposed many of those leases and opened it as its personal shops later that yr.
A spokesperson for the low cost retailer mentioned they have been conscious of the info theft claims, however burdened that it was 99 Cents Solely shops that obtained hit.
“The information referenced in these claims seem to contain former 99 Cents Solely workers,” the spokesperson mentioned. “Greenback Tree’s involvement with 99 Cents Solely Shops is expounded to the acquisition of choose actual property lease rights following their closure.”
“We didn’t purchase their company entity, methods/community, or knowledge. Any allegation of Greenback Tree’s involvement is inaccurate.”
Since 99 Cents Solely shut down, its emails and telephone numbers are defunct, making it inconceivable to ask for a press release or a remark. Greenback Tree, then again, is likely one of the most profitable companies in its business, with greater than $17.6 billion in gross sales final yr.
By way of The Report