According to Richmond RCMP, BCLC first noticed unusual activity on the PlayNow site in July 2024. The company saw a large spike in traffic, with about 250,000 attempts to access user accounts without permission.
BCLC’s cyber security team found that it was a case of “credential stuffing.” This is when hackers use email addresses and passwords stolen from other websites to try and log into accounts on a different site.
The lottery corporation locked all accounts that were at risk and notified the users.
Investigators traced some of the suspicious activity to Richmond. The RCMP's Economic Crime Unit found that the suspect had reportedly bought stolen login details from a social media site.
On February 28, 2025, police arrested a minor in Richmond in connection with the attack.
Instead of going through the regular court system, authorities have decided to use a restorative justice program under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. This program focuses on rehabilitation and helping young offenders take responsibility for their actions.
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