Victoria's Secret Website Goes Dark After Security Breach, Then Returns With Extended Offers

Last Wednesday, the digital presence of Victoria's Secret abruptly vanished, leaving shoppers baffled and shareholders uneasy.

On 28 May, the world's biggest lingerie retailer took its US website offline following what it called a 'security incident', halting digital operations and affecting some in-store services. Customers trying to visit the site were met with a black screen and a sparse message in the centre.

A Swift Shutdown and Evasive Messaging

The message read: 'Valued customer, we identified and are taking steps to address a security incident. We have taken down our website and some in-store services as a precaution. Our team is working around the clock to fully restore operations.'

'We appreciate your patience during this process. In the meantime, our Victoria's Secret and PINK stores remain open and we look forward to serving you.'

A company spokesperson confirmed to FOX Business that they had enacted emergency protocols and brought in third-party cybersecurity experts to investigate and resolve the issue.

Frustrated Shoppers Left Without Answers

Despite the brief explanation, customer frustration exploded online. Under a 25 May Facebook post promoting a sale, hundreds of users demanded updates.

'At least respond to customers,' one wrote. Another added: 'The fact that there is no update and no response is alarming.' Others complained they had received no texts or emails regarding the outage or any apologies for the inconvenience.

Reddit Rumours and Insider Speculation

An update posted on the company's Instagram page did little to quell anger, especially after the comments section was disabled. Some turned to Reddit, where speculation quickly gained traction.

One user claimed IT staff had been told to stay home and not work remotely until Thursday, suggesting the company was managing a serious internal crisis: 'To me, it sounds like a data breach, or possibly even ransomware.'

Another Redditor, who identified as a former company IT engineer, said the response matched a protocol from an old incident response plan used in past emergencies. Others suggested that the timing — during a US holiday week — hinted at a ransomware attack, which are often launched when staffing is low.

Billions at Stake Amid Digital Silence

Victoria's Secret recorded around $2 billion (£1.48 billion) in online sales last year, making up nearly a third of its total revenue. Following the disruption, its shares dropped nearly 7% on Wednesday, underscoring the financial impact of even a short-lived digital failure.

The nature of the security breach remains unclear. The company has not confirmed whether customer data was compromised or whether law enforcement is involved.

Site Restored, With Some Relief for Customers

As CNET confirmed, Victoria's Secret's US website has since been restored. The company is now working to fulfil orders placed before the outage and has promised that customers will receive shipping confirmation emails with tracking information.

To ease the disruption, the retailer is extending the redemption of in-store coupons and mailers through Sunday and has added 30 extra days for online returns. Rewards redemption periods will also be extended, though the company has yet to specify for how long.

Victoria's Secret, headquartered in Ohio, operates more than 13,500 stores across around 70 countries. As investigations continue, the brand must now focus on regaining customer trust and fortifying its digital defences.