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SMBC Consumer Finance (Promise) data breach

Was I affected?

SMBC Consumer Finance (Promise) confirmed a breach affecting about 320,118 people, exposing names, dates of birth, addresses and phone numbers. You may be affected if you applied for or hold a card loan from a Japanese bank or credit union that is guaranteed by SMBC Consumer Finance; the company will contact affected customers by email or SMS after consulting its partner banks.

SMBC Consumer Finance (Promise) breach facts
AnnouncedNov 5, 2026
When it happenedDetected November 2, 2026
CountryJapan
People affected320,118
Data exposedNames, Dates of birth, Addresses, Phone numbers, Email addresses, Driver's license numbers, Bank or financial details and Other details
StatusConfirmed by the company or a regulator filing

What happened

SMBC Consumer Finance, the lender behind the Promise brand, said an outsider broke into the system it uses to guarantee card loans offered by regional banks, credit unions and online banks, and that data was sent out of it. It detected the access on November 2, 2026 and cut it off the same day. Up to 320,118 customers' names, gender, dates of birth, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, driver's license numbers, employer details including annual income, and contract details such as guarantee amounts were involved; ID document images were not.

What should I do?

  1. Be wary of calls, emails or texts claiming to be from SMBC Consumer Finance, Promise or your bank; don't open links or enter personal details, and use the dedicated helpline (03-5677-9228) or your bank's official number instead.
  2. Watch your bank and loan accounts for applications or activity you didn't make, since income and loan details could make scam messages convincing.
  3. Your driver's license number was exposed; report any account or loan opened in your name to the lender and the police.
  4. SMBC Consumer Finance also reported that 227,216 customer email addresses were exposed in a separate breach at its email delivery provider Arara, so expect more phishing to those addresses.
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