Thermomix Recipe World Forum rezeptwelt.de Thermomix Recipe World forum data breach: what happened and what to do
In January 2025, the Rezeptwelt forum for Thermomix owners was breached. Have I Been Pwned lists about 3.1 million users, with names, email and physical addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, usernames and bios. Vorwerk says no passwords or financial data were affected.
View all 13,115 breaches- Breach date
- 30 Jan 2025
- Affected
- 3,123,439
- Data exposed
- Bios, Dates of birth, Email addresses, Names, Phone numbers, Physical addresses, Usernames
- Verified
- Yes
- Last updated
Source: Have I Been Pwned (CC BY 4.0)
Rezeptwelt ("recipe world") is the community recipe forum for Thermomix kitchen machines, run by Thermomix maker Vorwerk. In early 2025 someone got into its user profiles.
What happened
Vorwerk's notice says unauthorised access ran from 30 January to 3 February 2025 and went through an external service provider's server. Third parties could read certain profile data. Vorwerk says the Thermomix device, the Cookidoo service and the Vorwerk webshop were not affected. Rezeptwelt forums in several countries were, including Germany, Czechia, Spain, France, Italy, Poland, Portugal and Australia.
German press reported the data was offered for sale on a hacking forum for around 1,500 US dollars. Reported user counts differ by outlet, from about 3.1 million to 3.3 million. Have I Been Pwned (HIBP) lists 3,123,439 email addresses.
What was exposed
HIBP lists names, email addresses, physical addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, usernames and bios, which are usually about cooking. What a given profile contained depended on what the user had filled in. Vorwerk says passwords and financial data were not affected.
What it lets criminals do
Real names, addresses and phone numbers are useful for phishing and text scams, and German consumer groups warned of exactly that. A fake "Thermomix" or Vorwerk message that uses your name and address looks more credible than a generic one. A date of birth adds to the identity details criminals can combine with other leaks. Without passwords, account takeover on Rezeptwelt isn't the main concern.
The company's response
Vorwerk told affected users about the incident and said it had no evidence so far of misuse of the data. It warned of phishing and spam. Some users reported the notification emails landing in their spam folders, so check there if you haven't seen one.
What to keep in mind
Consumer advice in Germany was to ignore links and attachments from unknown senders and to look up your email on Have I Been Pwned.
Why a recipe forum matters
A cooking forum feels low stakes, and the passwords weren't taken, so it's easy to shrug. But names, home addresses, phone numbers and birth dates are exactly what scammers pay for, and 3.1 million of them in one file is a useful list. The data doesn't need to be sensitive in itself to be worth using against you.
Profile bios are the odd one. They're mostly about cooking, but anyone who wrote a bit about their family, job or town gave a scammer a hook for a message that sounds personal.
Spotting a scam that uses this data
A convincing message will use your real name, may mention Thermomix or a recipe, and will push you to act fast: confirm your account, claim a prize, pay a small fee. Real companies don't ask for card details or login codes through an unexpected link. When in doubt, go to the official site yourself.
What to do if you were in it
- 1
Look for the Vorwerk email, including in spam
Vorwerk emailed affected users. Some people found the message in their spam folder.
- 2
Treat messages that mention Thermomix or Vorwerk with caution
Don't click links or open attachments from unexpected senders, even when they quote your real name and address.
- 3
Expect scam texts and calls
Your phone number may be in the leaked data. Don't give out codes or details to a caller who contacted you first.
- 4
Change your Rezeptwelt password if you reuse it
Vorwerk says passwords weren't affected, but if you reused that password elsewhere, change it there and turn on two-factor login.
- 5
Check whether your email or phone is in this and other breaches
Run a free Serus scan. It checks breach databases for your email, phone and other details and alerts you when they show up in a new leak.
Frequently asked
Was I affected by the Rezeptwelt breach?
If you had a Rezeptwelt forum profile in early 2025, possibly. Vorwerk emailed affected users. You can also check on Have I Been Pwned or run a free Serus scan.
What was exposed?
Names, email and physical addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, usernames and bios, depending on the profile. Vorwerk says passwords and financial data weren't affected.
Were Thermomix devices or Cookidoo affected?
Vorwerk says the Thermomix device, Cookidoo and the Vorwerk webshop were not affected.
Sources
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