Multiple class action lawsuits have been filed against the Coral Springs, Florida-based data company following revelations that a massive data breach may have exposed personal information of millions of Americans, including Social Security numbers.
Since Aug. 1, eight lawsuits have been filed in U.S. District Court in Fort Lauderdale against Jericho Pictures, which does business as National Public Data.
National Public Data acknowledged the breach on its website, calling it a “data security incident” and saying it arose from a hacking attempt by a “third-party malicious actor” in December 2023 and “may result in the exposure of certain data in April 2024 and summer 2024.”
The company’s statement did not say how many personal details were stolen or which databases were hacked, but said the information included names, email addresses, phone numbers, Social Security numbers and mailing addresses.
The company’s website advertises that it offers background checks for employers and investigators “at the lowest rates in the industry.”
“A variety of information is available including criminal history, background checks, vital records and assets, and data is updated regularly,” a statement on the site reads.
News of the breach was revealed on August 1 in a lawsuit filed by California resident Christopher Hoffman. As reported by Bloomberg Law, the complaint alleges that a cybercrime group going by the name USDoD posted a database on a dark web forum in April that claimed to hold the personal information of 2.9 billion people. The group then offered the database for sale for $3.5 million.
In addition to the information National Public Data acknowledged, Hoffman’s lawsuit says the hackers also obtained information about relatives and past addresses going back at least 30 years.
Hoffman learned about the breach in late July when his privacy service notified him that his information had been exposed as a direct result of the nationalpublicdata.com breach.
Hoffman’s lawsuit alleges negligence and breach of fiduciary duty against the company and seeks monetary relief and a court order requiring the company to take steps to prevent further data breaches.
Since August 1, seven class action lawsuits have been filed against the company.
In its statement about the breach, the company urged potential victims to take steps to minimize or eliminate any potential damage.
Preventive measures include:
— Closely monitor your financial accounts for any unauthorized activity.
— Log into www.annualcreditreport.com to get your free credit reports from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
— Place a fraud alert on your credit file instructing you to contact creditors before opening a new account or making changes to an existing account.
— Consider placing a credit freeze on your file to prevent potential creditors from accessing your credit report.
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