The Origin Energy data breach has affected approximately 900,000 current and former customers after Australia’s largest energy retailer confirmed unauthorized access to customer information. The company also revealed it had received a warning about the potential breach weeks before it publicly disclosed the incident.
Origin Energy said a significant proportion of those affected by the data breach at Origin Energy were former customers. The compromised information may include names, addresses, dates of birth, phone numbers and account details, along with the last four digits of a credit card or the last three digits of a bank account.
The company said incomplete credit card and bank account details cannot be used to make purchases or access customer accounts.
Origin provides electricity, fossil gas, LPG and internet services to households and businesses across Australia and has approximately 4.8 million customer accounts.
Frank Calabria Apologizes After Origin Energy Data Breach
Origin Chief Executive Frank Calabria apologized to customers following confirmation of the breach and warned that affected individuals should remain alert to suspicious activity and a heightened risk of scams.
“We are sorry,” Calabria said. “We don’t take for granted the trust customers place in Origin, and we’re here to support them.”
Calabria said Origin first received emails on 2 July from an individual claiming to have accessed customer records. However, the company did not initially consider the threat credible because there was no evidence confirming customer data had been accessed.
The company received proof of customer data access on 22 July, after which Origin announced the incident publicly.
Calabria said the information accessed appeared to be historical customer data obtained “on an unauthorised basis”. He said Origin had taken steps to secure its systems and prevent further unauthorised access, adding that the company did not believe any customer information had been published on the dark web.
Timeline of the Data Breach at Origin Energy
Origin said it had been reviewing a potential security threat since early July and had worked to assess its credibility and possible impact.
In its update, the company said the threat was not considered credible based on the information available at the time.
“On 22 July, new information emerged that indicated a potential security incident may have occurred. We acted immediately, providing updates to the market and notifying our customers as a precaution,” Calabria said.
The Origin Energy data breach remains under investigation by relevant authorities. Calabria said the company could not provide further details about the incident because it was a criminal matter.
“It is a criminal matter which is under active investigation and, given that, we are constrained by the level of information we can provide at this time,” he said.
Calabria declined to comment on several issues, including when the breach occurred, whether any employees were involved, whether a ransom had been demanded or paid, and whether there remained an active risk of further data leaks.
Origin Confirms Investigation into Customer Data Breach
In its first statement on 23 July 2026, Origin announced it was investigating a potential security incident involving unauthorized access to some customer data.
The company said it did not believe the affected information included customer credit card or bank account details.
“We understand an incident like this may raise concerns and acknowledge the impact of this uncertainty on Origin customers,” Origin said.
The company confirmed it had notified the Australian Cyber Security Centre, the Australian Federal Police and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.
A later update confirmed there had been unauthorised access and disclosure of customer information. Origin said it was working to identify all affected customers and would contact those whose information had been compromised.
Around 900,000 Customers Affected by Origin Energy Data Breach
Following an initial review, Origin confirmed that approximately 900,000 current and former customers had been affected by the breach.
“We have now completed the initial phase of our review into Origin’s customer data security incident,” Frank Calabria said.
“At this point in time, we believe the information of approximately 900,000 current and former customers was accessed.”
Calabria again apologized to customers and said protecting affected individuals remained the company’s priority.
“To our customers, I am sorry. We don’t take for granted the trust customers place in Origin and our safeguarding of their information,” he said.
“We are contacting those customers whose information has been accessed and are providing support to them.”
Origin said it had extended customer support hours, established a dedicated contact number and was working with cybersecurity and forensic specialists to contain the incident.
The company also confirmed ongoing cooperation with government agencies, including the Australian Cyber Security Centre, the National Office of Cyber Security, the Australian Federal Police and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.
Customers Warned about Scams Following Data Breach at Origin Energy
Origin has made specialist identity and cybersecurity support services available to affected customers.
Customers with concerns can contact Origin through its dedicated support line on +61 8 9922 7000 or email [email protected].
The company advised customers to be cautious of unexpected calls, emails or text messages referring to their Origin accounts. It recommended avoiding links in unsolicited messages, independently verifying callers through official channels, never sharing passwords, and not providing personal or financial information unless the recipient’s identity is confirmed.
Origin also encouraged customers to use two-step authentication, such as authentication applications, for personal email accounts and other online services where available.
We are acutely aware that others may exploit this incident, including by impersonating Origin or through other scam activity,” Calabria said.
“We recommend that all our customers remain vigilant to suspicious activity and a heightened risk of scams.”
