OPAN (Older Persons Advocacy Network): fake 'Special Appeal' donation email sent to its mailing list through a third-party mailing system — investigation complete, small number of people being notified under privacy law
The Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN), the national body behind the Australian aged-care advocacy line, says an unauthorised email titled 'The National Advocate – Special Appeal' was sent to people on its mailing list through a third-party mailing system on 11 September 2026. The email asked for donations and did not come from OPAN. In an update posted 12 October, OPAN says it stopped the email, contacted everyone who received it along with network members, government and sector partners and the National Anti-Scam Centre, and engaged independent forensic, legal and cyber advisers. That investigation is now complete, OPAN has strengthened its security, and it is contacting a small number of individuals directly where required under privacy laws; people who are not contacted need do nothing further. OPAN has not named the mailing provider or said what personal information, if any, was accessed. CEO Craig Gear apologised for the worry caused to older people and families. Primary: OPAN cyber incident update (12 Oct); listed on the Webber Insurance Australian breach list.
- Exploited in Australia?
- unknown
- Patch to
- Recipients: do not act on donation or payment requests from that email; if you gave card details, call your bank. Verify any OPAN request on a phone number you already have; the Australian Cyber Security Hotline is 1300 292 371. Organisations: lock down third-party email-marketing accounts with MFA and least-privilege users, alert on unusual campaign sends, and include mailing-platform providers in your notifiable-data-breach plan.
Primary: OPAN — Cyber incident update (12 Oct 2026) · Webber Insurance — Data breaches in Australia list (OPAN, October 2026)