TL;DR: Telus says an unfortunate technical issue led a very small number of customers to be told to disregard a genuine-looking breach notification. The email says unauthorized individuals accessed names, billing addresses, phone numbers and the last four digits of payment cards. Verify the notice through your Telus account, not through links in the email.
CTV News reported on September 17, 2026 that some Telus customers affected by a recent data breach were told by company employees that the notification email they received was fraudulent and should be deleted. Telus blamed a technical issue that affected a very small number of customers and said anyone worried about the email's authenticity can contact the company.
What the notification says
- Unauthorized individuals accessed account information such as name, billing address, phone number and the last four digits of the payment card on file.
- The breach took place sometime between February 2025 and June 2026, and the compromised credentials have since been terminated.
- The email includes a unique PIN to activate two years of complimentary identity theft protection.
- Those individuals may have contacted customers to persuade them to move away from Telus, or made unauthorized changes to their services.
Why the mix-up is dangerous
Breach notices are a favourite disguise for phishing. A real notice that staff call fake teaches customers to ignore genuine warnings, while a fake notice that looks like the real one can steal card details or a login. Our guide to what a data breach notification email means explains the difference.
How to verify safely
- Do not click the PIN link until you have confirmed the email. Log in to your Telus account by typing the address yourself, or call the number printed on your bill.
- Check your account for service changes you did not make, such as new lines, plan changes or forwarding.
- If you already entered details on a page reached from the email, report it using the Anti-Fraud Centre reporting guide.
- Be alert to calls offering to switch you to a competitor. The notice itself warns this may happen.
- Expect follow-up scams that reuse your name, address and phone number. Our fake carrier agent scam report shows how convincing those calls can be.
FAQs
Is the Telus breach notification email real?
Telus acknowledged that a technical issue led a very small number of customers to be told to disregard it. Confirm the notice by logging in to your account directly or calling Telus using a number from your bill.
What Telus data was exposed?
The notice lists name, billing address, phone number and the last four digits of the payment card on file. It does not mention full card numbers.
Should I use the identity theft protection PIN?
Only after you have verified the email through official Telus channels. Never enter the PIN on a page you reached from an unverified link.
To see what an impostor could already find about you, check your digital footprint free.
Curious what's already out there? Scan My Shadow checks a phone number and email across 1,500+ sources and sends a clear report — no guesswork, just facts. Start your scan.