Victims of Afghan data leak receive scam emails offering tens of thousands in compensation, Sky News can reveal

The phishing email claims to come from the Ministry of Defence (MoD), offering a "compensation via a cheque", but the MoD has categorically denied any involvement.

Sky News is aware that - at the very least - a small number of Afghans whose data were leaked have been sent this email. The true number of recipients could be a lot higher. The data list contained the details of almost 19,000 individuals

It asks Afghans to "please take your id documents to verify your identity, otherwise you won't be paid".

The news indicates at least some of the names and personal details on the leaked dataset have been seen by the email sender.

It raises questions about just who now has access to the leaked data of thousands of Afghan Relocations and Assistance Police (ARAP) applicants, and who is behind the phishing attempt.

The MoD has confirmed the email is a scam, emphasising it was not sent by the government.

A spokesperson said: "This email has not been sent by the Ministry of Defence or any part of the UK government.

"Following the February 2022 data incident under the previous government, we have taken appropriate action in line with the level of risk these individuals faced and will robustly defend against any legal action or compensation claims."

It says: "I am writing to inform you that your case has been properly considered. We are sincerely sorry for the impact the recent data breach has had on you and your family.

"As a result we are offering you compensation in the amount of £86,000. You can collect your compensation via a cheque, which can be processed at your local building society. We have shared your detail with bank, please take your id documents to verify your identity, otherwise you won't be paid".

It is signed off "Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy Casework Team, MOD Head Office".

There are typos in the email including in the line "we have shared your detail with bank", as well as other scam mail red flags like an urgent call to action regarding payment.

It is not clear who the email is from or why it was sent.

Around 1,300 Afghans on the leaked list are now preparing to sue the MoD through group action organised by the law firm Barings Law.

Adnan Malik, the head of data protection at Barings Law, said: "We have every reason to believe that this highly sensitive list may now be in the hands of multiple individuals, continuing to place the lives of these brave Afghan nationals at serious risk.

"These are people who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with British forces, often in life-threatening situations, and now they face ongoing danger because of this failure.

"What's especially disturbing is that the conditions for scams and exploitation have only been made possible because the Ministry of Defence refuses to commit to compensating those affected.

"Their silence creates a vacuum, and that vacuum is being filled by people with questionable motives."

It comes after the personal information of nearly 19,000 people who applied for the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) was released "in error" in February 2022 by a defence official.

Excerpts from a spreadsheet containing the data were posted anonymously on a Facebook group, before the MoD became aware of the breach in August 2023.

It led to the imposition of a super-injunction in September 2023, which blocked all coverage of the leak.

Defence Secretary John Healey offered a "sincere apology" on behalf of the government, calling it a "serious departmental error".

Some 6,900 Afghans - comprising 1,500 people named on the list as well as their dependents - are being relocated to the UK as part of this programme, on top of the thousands moved here under the ARAP.

The MoD said the relocation costs alone, directly linked to the data breach, will be around £850m.

It has previously said: "We will robustly defend against any legal action or compensation. The independent Rimmer review concluded that it is highly unlikely that merely being on the spreadsheet would be grounds for an individual to be targeted, and this is the basis on which the court lifted its superinjunction."

-SKY NEWS