Hacker Steals Investment App Robinhood Users' Details

Robinhood logo is seen on a smartphone in front of a displayed same logo in this illustration taken, July 2, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
Robinhood logo is seen on a smartphone in front of a displayed same logo in this illustration taken, July 2, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
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Hacker Steals Investment App Robinhood Users' Details

Robinhood logo is seen on a smartphone in front of a displayed same logo in this illustration taken, July 2, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
Robinhood logo is seen on a smartphone in front of a displayed same logo in this illustration taken, July 2, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

Robinhood on Monday warned users that a hacker talked their way past the stock-trading app's defenses, stealing millions of user email addresses and more.

The culprit called customer support and, pretending to be an authorized party, duped a Robinhood employee into providing access to the customer support computer system, a hacker technique referred to as "social engineering," the company said in a blog post.

After stealing information from Robinhood, the hacker tried to extort payment from the company, which opted to alert police and warn users about the breach, according to the post.

"We owe it to our customers to be transparent and act with integrity,” Robinhood chief security officer Caleb Sima said in the post.

"Following a diligent review, putting the entire Robinhood community on notice of this incident now is the right thing to do."

The breach took place late on November 3, with the hacker snatching about five million email addresses for Robinhood users, along with the names of about two million other members of the investment service, according to the company.

Robinhood said it also appeared that the hacker got hold of names, birth dates and zip codes associated with 310 users, plus additional account details about some of those people, reported AFP.

"The attack has been contained and we believe that no Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, or debit card numbers were exposed and that there has been no financial loss to any customers as a result of the incident," Robinhood said in the post.

Hackers could use the stolen information to try to trick Robinhood members with ruses such as "phishing" emails pretending to be the company.

Robinhood has been credited with introducing a generation of new individual investors to the stock market, but the platform is also known for features that critics say can make it addictive.

Game-like aspects of Robinhood have also raised concerns that users may overlook serious financial ramifications of investing.



Nissan Considers Foxconn EV Output to Save Oppama from Closure, Nikkei Says

A flag flutters at Nissan Motor's Oppama plant in Yokosuka, Tokyo, Japan May 23, 2025. REUTERS/Issei Kato/File Photo
A flag flutters at Nissan Motor's Oppama plant in Yokosuka, Tokyo, Japan May 23, 2025. REUTERS/Issei Kato/File Photo
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Nissan Considers Foxconn EV Output to Save Oppama from Closure, Nikkei Says

A flag flutters at Nissan Motor's Oppama plant in Yokosuka, Tokyo, Japan May 23, 2025. REUTERS/Issei Kato/File Photo
A flag flutters at Nissan Motor's Oppama plant in Yokosuka, Tokyo, Japan May 23, 2025. REUTERS/Issei Kato/File Photo

Nissan Motor is in discussions with Taiwan's Foxconn over electric vehicle collaboration that could save its Oppama plant in Japan from closure, the Nikkei business daily reported on Sunday, citing an unidentified Nissan source.

Nissan's Oppama plant, which employs about 3,900 workers, has been a potential consolidation target in the struggling Japanese carmaker's restructuring plans, but the idea of producing Foxconn-brand EVs at its idle assembly lines could preserve jobs and supplier networks, the Nikkei said, Reutrers reported.

A statement from Nissan said the report was not based on information released by the company itself. A Foxconn spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In May Nissan's junior partner Mitsubishi Motors signed a memorandum of understanding with a Foxconn subsidiary to supply Mitsubishi with an EV model.