Treat a supposed refund message from Manchester Airports Group (MAG), the airport operator, as fake if it asks for card, bank or password details. Check it by not clicking the link and opening your booking account manually by typing the official airport address. Help Net Security reports that MAG confirmed the incident on 27 August 2026, involving car park, lounge and Fast Track bookings and Wi-Fi sign-ups Help Net Security report. The same report puts the affected group at about 8.7 million customers at Manchester, Stansted and East Midlands airports.
Table of Contents
- What was taken and what was not
- Why a refund offer fits this breach
- How do you check a refund message?
- Where to report it and recover losses
What was taken and what was not
The incident covers current and former users of parking, lounge, Fast Track and Wi-Fi services across the three airports. That broad booking history is why a message can include your real travel details and still be fake.
McAfee Security News reports the stolen data includes email addresses, phone numbers, vehicle registration numbers and postcodes McAfee report. The same reporting notes the affected system did not hold bank details, payment-card data, account passwords or passport numbers.
Why a refund offer fits this breach
MAG warned customers to be cautious of unexpected emails, calls or texts claiming to come from it. It said it will never contact people unexpectedly to ask for payment-card details, banking information or passwords.
Security analysts cited by UNDERCODE NEWS warn criminals can reuse stolen booking and contact details to pose as the airport. The typical lure is a parking refund, reservation update or payment request that pushes you to click a link. IT Security Guru notes such a request contradicts what MAG holds and says it will ask for.
How do you check a refund message?
Do not click the link, download an attachment or enter payment and login details from the message. Instead open the airport or parking operator site by typing the address yourself and sign in to your booking account.
If the booking account shows no refund, credit or message, treat the email or text as phishing, a fake message designed to steal details. Keep the original message for reporting and do not reply to the sender.
- urgent refund deadline and link to claim money
- attachment or update form to download
- request for card, bank or password details
Where to report it and recover losses
The UK National Cyber Security Centre advises forwarding suspected scam emails to [email protected] NCSC phishing guidance. It also advises forwarding suspected scam texts to 7726 for review by mobile carriers and NCSC staff.
If you lost money or shared financial details, notify your bank immediately. Action Fraud guidance republished by Wired-Gov says to report the case online at actionfraud.police.uk or on 0300 123 2040 Action Fraud warning.
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- Manchester Airports Group Data Breach: What the August 2026 Notice Says Was Taken
- Stansted and East Midlands Data Breach Notices: How They Connect to Manchester Airports Group
- Manchester Airport Data Breach: Are Existing Parking and Lounge Bookings Still Valid?