{
  "id": 7755391,
  "title": "BT Email users hit by barrage of unsolicited password reset PINs",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/bt-email-users-hit-by-barrage-of-unsolicited-password-reset-pins-7755391",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-09-16T09:15:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Register Science",
    "slug": "the-register-science",
    "url": "https://www.theregister.com/networks/2026/09/16/bt-email-users-hit-by-barrage-of-unsolicited-password-reset-pins/5296616"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "BT Email subscribers are reporting an overwhelming influx of unsolicited password reset PIN messages, prompting the telecommunications company to investigate the source of the issue. The complaints started surfacing on BT's community forums over the weekend, with users recounting bursts of PIN texts arriving within moments, even when they had not initiated a password reset. One customer mentioned receiving between 50 and 70 PIN texts in a brief span, while another reported over 100. A third customer claimed the number exceeded 500, and yet another stated more than 1,000. One BT user who reached out to The Register independently disclosed they had received approximately 300 password reset emails within the previous 24 hours, often arriving in clusters of around 50 within a minute before a pause lasting several hours.\n\nBT has acknowledged the problem but has not disclosed the cause. A company moderator stated on the forum that they are actively investigating the matter. They advised affected customers to ignore the messages and remain vigilant for any unusual activity. BT emphasized that customers' email accounts remain secure and that no action is required from those receiving the messages. However, at least one customer claims someone accessed their account during the PIN barrage, though it remains unverified if this takeover was linked to the surge in PIN messages. The cause of the widespread issue remains unknown, with possibilities including malicious intent, a system fault, or something else entirely. The Register has sought clarification from BT regarding the number of affected customers, whether external password-reset attempts are responsible, any evidence of malicious activity, and the company's rate limiting measures on password reset requests. Both email and SMS messages are reportedly affected. BT is currently probing the issue, and the situation may continue to evolve.",
  "summary": "Telco says accounts are secure as customers report hundreds of mystery codes arriving in rapid bursts",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Register",
        "title": "BT Email users hit by barrage of unsolicited password reset PINs",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/bt-email-users-hit-by-barrage-of-unsolicited-password-reset-pins",
        "published": "2026-09-16T09:15:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}