Customers of the payday lender who have been left vulnerable to cyber-attacks after a data breach have been told they will be better off if the hackers just take all their money now and be done with it.
Wonga wrote to more than a quarter of a million customers informing them that their personal and bank information may have been made available to hackers, thereby offering them some hope that a lifetime of paying exorbitant interest rates may be avoided.
Fraud expert Eleanor Gay told reporters, “We would normally find a data breach of this magnitude deeply alarming, especially given that bank details may have been compromised.
“However, after researching all potential outcomes of this situation, it appears Wonga customers might be better off in the long run if the hackers all their money right now.”
She continued, “It will be painful for the customer, sure, but at least the theft will be over and done with in one day, rather than suffering the unrelenting misery of Wonga charging crazy interest rates for the rest of their life.”
“Well, this is good news,” responded unfortunate Wonga customer Simon Williams.
“I borrowed fifty quid in the mid-1990s and have paid Wonga over a grand in interest since then, so it’ll make a refreshing change for a different bastard to get their filthy hands on all of my money.”