Tennis champion Todd Woodbridge targeted by Medibank scam as hackers demand money

Former tennis champion Todd Woodbridge has revealed he has been the victim of the Medibank hack, as the company faces an eye-watering ransom.

Former tennis champion and sports presenter Todd Woodbridge has revealed he has been targeted in a hacker scam caused by the major Medibank data breach.

In the early hours of Wednesday, Russian cyber criminals began posting Medibank customer data on the dark web after the company refused to pay an eye-watering $15m ransom.

Woodbridge, 51, — who had a minor heart attack last month — said he believes he was targeted by scammers, who knew about his recent hospital stay following the Medibank data breach.

The 16-time grand slam doubles champion said the “aggressive” scammers tried to swindle him out of a hospital bill he had already paid.

“Now I had no invoices, no nothing. They knew the hospital I had stayed in. They wanted me to ring back and give them my account number and … pay over the phone,” he told 3AW.

Natasha and Todd Woodbridge. Picture: WireImage

“I think that is the beginning of what we are going to be getting plenty of if you’re a Medibank customer because it’s pretty obvious that my details were all out there and they knew exactly where and what I had been doing with my health and my recovery from my little episode.”

At least 9.7 million Australians have been caught up in the breach – including 5.1 million Medibank customers.

In a post on the dark web, one of the hackers — who goes by the name John K Ram, like the villain from the SAW film franchise – had asked for “10 millions USD, but could “discount” the ransom for US $9.7m (AU $15.07m) – or US$1 per person impacted.”

Hackers have demanded more money from the insurer. Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard

Woodbridge said his phone started ringing consistently on Wednesday afternoon and the caller left a voicemail.

“Yesterday afternoon my phone started buzzing consistently for about five calls in a row and I didn‘t answer,” he said.

“(They are) trying to make you think that you haven’t paid something that you needed to, but in my case, I know I’m on top of all that.”

Additional data appears to have been released on Thursday morning, including highly personal health information.

The hackers have threatened to continue to release private information.