Liverpool FC is writing to a group of supporters who used online ticketing services (or telephone sales) in 2012 to advise them to change their password following unauthorised external access to an employee account.

LFC has reset the online ticketing passwords for some of those supporters and is recommending other steps to a wider group. Details of the recommended steps will be set out in the individual communications issued to the relevant group of supporters.

These are precautionary steps. There is no evidence that any supporter accounts have been accessed and no financial information is involved.

LFC’s security team has been working with external experts to investigate the incident to ensure that its systems are secure.

Many supporters will not receive an individual communication about this matter, although as a matter of good practice the club is recommending that all supporters are generally vigilant.

LFC has also provided supporters with additional security guidance on its website to reduce the risk of passwords being compromised. This includes avoiding using the same password for multiple accounts, avoiding words that are easy to guess and using a reputable password manager, so passwords don’t have to be written down.

Peter Moore, LFC’s chief executive officer, said: “We take privacy and the security of the personal information we hold extremely seriously. Unfortunately, we have determined that recently there has been unauthorised access to an LFC staff account.

"Upon discovering the incident, we immediately took steps to ensure that no further unauthorised access would be possible.

“We promptly launched an investigation and have informed the Information Commissioner's Office (the UK's data protection regulator) and the police. We have no evidence to suggest any fraudulent use of personal information and continue to work closely with experts in this field and monitor for any suspicious activity.

"We have also set up a dedicated team to help with any questions that those who have been contacted may have.

“Finally, thank you to those supporters who we will contact for taking these precautionary measures.”