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Pro Wrestling Tees hit by data breach in November and informs customers in December

By Raphael Garcia

Apr 10, 2021; Tampa, Florida, USA; A general view of the ring prior to WrestleMania 37 at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 10, 2021; Tampa, Florida, USA; A general view of the ring prior to WrestleMania 37 at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /
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Pro Wrestling Tees, popular merchandiser in the professional wrestling industry, was hit by a data breach on November 1. Customers were informed of the letter in December, more than one month after the company was informed of the data breach.

Social media started buzzing on Saturday, December 18 when the full letter was posted online. The letter is signed by Ryan Barkan, the creator, and owner of Pro Wrestling Tees, and provides more information about the breach itself, what the company is doing in response, and steps customers should take.

“On November 1, 2021, Pro Wrestling Tees was informed by law enforcement that a small portion of our customers’ credit card numbers had been compromised,” the letter states (as posted by Toru Yano Fan Account on Twitter). “We immediately conducted an extensive investigation of our system and concluded that a malware virus was the source of the breach. Working with a sophisticated forensic vendor, we have removed the malware virus from our system. We did not find any evidence that any current individual personal information was compromised.”

Customers took to social media to question why the company decided to send the mailed correspondence, instead of addressing the issue with an online announcement or via email when the breach was first noticed in November. Pro Wrestling Tees has been active across all its social media channels since November 1, posting product updates and announcements at a regular cadence. However, the channels do not have any mention of the data breach in any form. The company has yet to comment on the matter as it has become known from fans who are concerned about the status of their information.

Ransomware attacks have been on the rise in recent years. According to Harvard Business Review, ransomware attacks increased 150% in 2020 as compared to 2019. A common occurrence when a company is impacted is to alert its customers of the breach immediately, giving them the opportunity to take action to protect their information and assets.

Pro Wrestling Tees is the official vendor for the AEW Store, and features merchandise from many independent names and more recognizable stars such as Stone Cold Steve Austin, Johnny Gargano, and Bret Hart.

For more news about the data breach and all things professional wrestling, stick with Daily DDT.

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