Social Security Breach: Find out if you’re one of the 3 billion affected
Is your sensitive information out in the open?
National Public Data, a company that provides background checks by aggregating data has confirmed a significant data breach that exposed Social Security numbers and other personal details of millions of Americans.
This week, Florida-based company posted a notice on its website stating, "There appears to have been a data security incident that may have involved some of your personal information." The breach was traced back to a cyberattack by a third-party hacker in late December 2023 with potential data leaks occurring in April and Summer 2024.
News of the breach first surfaced through a class action lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and was reported by Bloomberg Law. The lawsuit claims that 2.9 billion records, including names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and family information dating back over 30 years were stolen according to the law firm Schubert, Jonckheer & Kolbe who filed the case.
NPD stated that the breached data included names, email addresses, phone numbers, mailing addresses, and social security numbers. The company is working with investigators and has put in place additional security measures to prevent this type of breach from happening again and to protect our systems.
Social Security Breach Check
Pentester, a cybersecurity firm, launched a tool that lets you check if your data was caught up in a recent breach. To find out, visit npd.pentester.com, enter your first and last name, along with your birth year, and you’ll get a list of any breached accounts associated with you.
The tool even shows the last four digits of the compromised social security numbers, making it easier to confirm if your information is at risk.
How to protect yourself if you're breached
If you’ve checked Pentester’s website and discovered that you’re one of the billions affected by the breach, here’s what the NPD recommends to protect your identity:
1. Financial monitoring - NPD advises taking a closer look at your bank accounts, ensuring everything is in order. While this might seem like a no-brainer, the reality is that many Americans don’t look over every line item on their credit and debit card statements, which leaves room for fraudulent charges to slip through unnoticed.
2. Credit monitoring - Set up credit monitoring with one or all of the major credit bureaus including Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. This way you’ll get alerts for any suspicious activity like new or existing accounts being opened in your name.
3. Consider a credit freeze - Instituting a credit freeze is like hitting a big red button. It stops new credit from being opened in your name without your explicit permission.
Of course none of these steps will erase the fact that your social security number is now floating around in the cyber world, but they’re practical measures you can take to safeguard your finances and protect yourself from future headaches.