Akira ransomware group claimed an attack on Alabama's Quik Pawn Shop

The Akira ransomware group named Quik Pawn Shop, an Alabama pawnbroking and consumer lending chain, on its extortion site in late February 2024. Reporting placed the attack on February 22.

In its post, Akira said it had taken about 140 GB of files from the company along with a database containing customer records. The group wrote that it had obtained the files and would make them available, and described the database as holding complete information about the company's customers.

Coverage of the listing described the stolen material as including dates of birth, addresses, Social Security numbers and financial transaction histories. Privacy Affairs characterised the haul as addresses, client information, financial spreadsheets and transaction records. The claimed record count, reported as running to millions, came from the attackers and was never independently verified.

Quik Pawn Shop's website went offline after the listing appeared, returning DNS resolution errors to visitors and leaving customers without a direct channel for information. The company did not respond to requests for comment and made no public statement about the incident.

Quik Pawn Shop has operated in Alabama since 1978 and runs roughly 15 branches serving the Montgomery, Birmingham, Mobile and Tuscaloosa areas, offering pawn loans, title loans, cash advances and check cashing.