You can check if your Social Security number was part of the massive theft of a reported 2.9 billion records and take steps to protect your personal information if it was stolen in the December 2023 National Public Data breach. According to an August statement from National Public Data, a data broker that sells personal information to private investigators, consumer public record sites, and staffing agencies, a third-party bad actor hacked into the data and leaked the stolen information on the dark web.
National Public Data obtained the information by scraping nonpublic sources without consent, according to a proposed class-action lawsuit. A House of Representatives committee has opened an investigation in response.Here are steps you can take to see if your information was stolen and what to do if your Social Security number and other personal data were leaked in the data hack. For more help, you can look into the best identity theft protection services and how to freeze your credit. For more on Social Security, learn when to expect your Social Security check and ways you can lose your benefits.
National Public Data said it obtains personal information from public record databases, court records, state and national databases, and other repositories nationwide. According to their August statement, the incident is believed to have involved a third-party bad actor hacking into the data in late December 2023, with potential leaks of certain data in April 2024 and summer of 2024. The theft may involve nearly 3 billion personal records, including your name, email address, phone number, Social Security number, and mailing address.
The exact number of people whose information was stolen is still unknown, but Maine's Attorney General's office puts the number at 1.3 million. Troy Hunt of Have I Been Pwned estimates the stolen files include 134 million unique email addresses. On August 22, the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability announced it was starting an investigation into the cyberattack.Two online security companies have set up websites to help you check for free if your Social Security number is part of the stolen information: npdbreach.com by Atlas Privacy and npd.pentester.com by Pentester cybersecurity company.
These lookup tools search for different pieces of information without requiring you to enter your Social Security number. Both showed that my personal information was stolen after I searched the different states I've lived in.National Public Data said it's cooperating with law enforcement and governmental investigators and conducting a review of the affected records. If your information was stolen, the company plans to notify you of significant developments and recommends you closely monitor your financial accounts for unauthorized activity. They provided an email address for further inquiries: [email protected].
To learn if your Social Security number was leaked, you can't stop the theft, but you can watch your credit reports and financial accounts for unexpected activity. Check free sites like Have I Been Pwned to see if your email has been leaked. Request one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit bureaus—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—and scrutinize for unfamiliar activity. Also, monitor your credit card and bank statements for unexpected charges and payments.
Sign up for a credit monitoring service to receive alerts about unusual activity. Such services can protect against identity theft and notify you if someone tries to use your Social Security number to create credit.If you think your Social Security number has been stolen, the Social Security Administration can't do much directly. However, you can create your online Social Security account to block others from doing so in your name. Fill out a form at the Federal Trade Commission's IdentityTheft.gov to receive a personalized recovery plan.
Contact the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to prevent tax-related identity fraud. Visit the IRS's guide to dispute claims made by identity thieves using your Social Security number for employment. File an online complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center to help fight cybercrime and frequently check your credit report via www.annualcreditreport.com. Contact the Social Security Administration for help reviewing your statements.
If your Social Security number is no longer used by anyone else, you don't need a new SSN. If it continues to be misused despite taking necessary steps, you can apply for a new one, but you'll need proof of misuse. The administration doesn't make it easy to get a new SSN without sufficient evidence.To help prevent identity theft, don't carry your Social Security card in your wallet and memorize your number. Provide your number by phone only when necessary and be away from others. Encrypt documents containing your Social Security number sent via email.
Be skeptical of job postings requesting personal information early on and always verify the source of notices. Enable two-factor authentication on your passwords and monitor your bank and credit statements regularly.Your personal data can be stolen in various ways, including through wallet and bag thefts, mail tampering, and rummaging through trash for critical information. Beware of fraudsters posing as credible sources trying to trick you into revealing information. Protect your passwords and use passkeys whenever possible to secure your online accounts.
