A DNA-testing company reportedly linked to Russia has disappeared, taking with it highly sensitive customer data, as reported by the BBC. The company, known as Atlas Biomed, previously operated from London and offered insights into customers’ genetic profiles and their susceptibility to various health conditions. However, it seems the firm has gone off the radar, leaving customers anxious about the safety of their data, which includes biometric information. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has acknowledged the situation and confirmed that it has received a complaint regarding the company’s sudden absence.
“Individuals have the right to expect that organizations will manage their personal information in a secure and responsible manner,” the ICO stated in a press release.
Atlas Biomed’s website is currently inactive, and the listed phone number is no longer operational. Their Instagram account, which boasted over 11,000 followers, has not been updated since March 2022. A user commented on the page, “DO NOT ORDER – SCAM ALERT. They have not been active since June 2023. I ordered and sent off samples in July and still nothing, and have since found numerous accounts of people with the same issue. Their email address no longer works. No way to contact them.”
The company’s registered office is located near London’s Silicon Roundabout, a hub for technology firms. A company registration service situated in the same building confirmed that Atlas Biomed was a client and had legitimately used the address, but declined to provide any further information about the missing DNA-testing company.
The Russian connection
The company may no longer be operational, yet its connections to Russia have come to light. Although it is registered with Companies House, as required for all businesses based in the UK, Biomed has not submitted any financial statements since December 2022. According to the most recent information, the company had eight official positions, with four individuals having resigned. Notably, two of the remaining officers have their addresses registered in Moscow, which corresponds with that of a Russian billionaire identified as a former director of Atlas Biomed. Additionally, these two officers share the same Moscow address as the aforementioned billionaire.
Customers confused
Lisa Topping, a resident of Saffron Walden in Essex, informed the publication that she had submitted her saliva sample to the company and paid $130 for a customized genetic report. While Ms. Topping did receive her DNA profile and information regarding her predisposition to certain diseases, she found herself unable to access the report online, a feature she had previously utilized periodically.
“I am uncertain about what someone else could potentially do with [the data], but it is the most personal information… I feel uneasy knowing that it has simply vanished,” Ms. Topping expressed.
There is currently no clarification regarding the whereabouts of Atlas Biomed’s customer DNA database. Nevertheless, there is no available evidence to suggest that the data is being misappropriated.
