By Jane Miller '20
(Picture Credits to Wikipedia)
Free clothes from a cute brand, all you have to do is pay shipping. Isn't that the dream? Especially with spring break around the corner, the idea seemed too good to be true. Today, some Viz seniors discovered what they believed to be a glitch in the Billabong website that made all products on the site completely free. The only associated cost was the $5.99 shipping fee. The news spread like wildfire among the senior class, sending girls flying to their laptops to claim as many free products as possible. "I placed two orders, then texted my sister, who told all her friends." Ellie Dierberg '20 admitted. Billabong is a Surf inspired clothing brand that sells swimsuits and beachy clothing. A swimsuit top from the brand can cost anywhere from twenty to seventy-five dollars, so the zero dollar price tag was definitely appealing. However, as the school gathered in Alumni Hall for signing day, some students raised eyebrows at the scheme. "The Billabong thing is a "crippling cyber attack.'" Grace Shaughnessy '20, texted the senior class. Further research confirmed that the company had in fact been affected by a Ransomware attack, which likely triggered the glitch in the system. The realization sent everyone into a panic. Girls were frantically calling their banks, their parents and trying to cancel their orders. "When I realized it was a scam, I went to the library with the other girls for the hilariously scary moment of calling our moms and telling them what we had done," Emily Guyot '20 recalled. Although no one knew whether the hacking affected consumers directly or just the Billabong company itself, many girls aired on the side of caution and locked their cards. There is still little known about the hacking or the repercussions of the orders placed, but the glitch on the website has been fixed. "Now that the whole thing is over, I guess we just have to wait and see if the people who ordered get their clothes. If they do, that would be pretty cool!" Grace Kalil '20, laughed.
As the story develops further, consumer Ellie Dierberg '20 received an email that said, "Please accept our sincerest apologies for the canceled items on your order due to a technical issue. We certainly appreciate your patience and apologize for any inconvenience it may have caused."
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