You can find out if your Social Security number was stolen in a massive national public data breach and take steps to protect your personal information if it was exposed in the theft of 2.9 billion records reported last December. Here’s how:
In an August statement, National Public Data, a data broker that sells personal information to private investigators, consumer public records sites, employment agencies and others, said a “third-party malicious actor” hacked the data and leaked the stolen information on the dark web. According to the proposed class action lawsuit, National Public Data obtained the information through unauthorized collection of non-public sources.
If your personal information is exposed in a major data hack, here are steps you can take to find out if your information has been stolen and protect your Social Security number. For more information, here are the best identity theft protection services and how to freeze your credit. For more information on Social Security, here’s when you’ll receive your Social Security check this month and four ways you could lose your Social Security benefits.
How was my personal information stolen in a national public data breach?
National Public Data said it obtains personal information from public records databases across the country, court records, state and national databases and other repositories.
“The incident is believed to have involved a third-party malicious actor attempting to hack into data in late December 2023, potentially resulting in the exposure of certain data in April 2024 and summer 2024,” a statement from the National Public Data Agency this month said.
The theft, reportedly perpetrated by a cybercrime group calling itself the Pentagon, may have amounted to roughly three billion stolen personal details, including names, email addresses, phone numbers, Social Security numbers and mailing addresses.
It’s still unclear how many people’s information was stolen; the Maine Attorney General’s office put the number at 1.3 million, based on conversations with data brokers. Troy Hunt of Have I Been Pwned estimates that the stolen files contain 134 million unique email addresses.
How to tell if your Social Security number was stolen in a national public data hack
Two online security companies have established websites where you can check for free whether your Social Security number is among your stolen personal information: online privacy company Atlas Privacy at https://www.npdbreach.com/ and cybersecurity company Pentester at https://npd.pentester.com/.
Both search tools are easy to use and allow you to search a variety of stored information. I searched the various states I’ve lived in and both showed that my personal information had been stolen in a hack.
How is National Public Data responding to data theft?
In a statement about the security breach, the company said it was cooperating with law enforcement and government investigators to investigate any records that may have been affected. To those whose information was stolen, the company said it would “endeavor to notify you of any significant developments that concern you in the future” and encouraged them to closely monitor their financial accounts for any unauthorized activity.
How do I know if my Social Security number has been compromised?
While you can’t stop the theft, you can monitor your credit reports and financial accounts for unexpected activity and make sure your Social Security number or other personal information isn’t being used.
Check if stolen data has been leakedFirst, check free sites like Have I Been Pwned to see if your email has been exposed in a data breach.
Monitor your credit report: To spot identity theft, request a free credit report once a year from each of the three major credit reporting agencies — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — and look for unusual activity, such as new accounts that you didn’t open. Also, keep an eye on your credit card and bank statements for unexpected charges or payments.
Sign up for a credit monitoring serviceCredit monitoring services constantly monitor your credit reports from the major credit bureaus and alert you when they detect unusual activity. With a monitoring service, you can set up fraud alerts that will notify you if someone is trying to use your personal information to gain credit, for example, by using your Social Security number. Here are the best identity theft protection services.
I think my Social Security number has been stolen. What should I do?
First, if you think your Social Security number has been stolen, know that there’s not much the Social Security Administration itself can do if someone uses stolen information to open a line of credit or get a job.
Federal Trade Commission Identity Theft.gov Fill out the form to receive your Personal Recovery Plan, which explains all the steps you need to take to protect yourself from fraud and recover your personal information. You can also call us at 877-438-4337.
Contact the National Tax Agency If your Social Security number is stolen, this is to prevent criminals from using your number to file tax returns, get your tax refund, or apply for a job. If a criminal uses your Social Security number to apply for a job, unpaid taxes could remain on your record. To dispute these claims, get help, or resolve the issue, visit the IRS Identity Theft Center.
File a complaint online Internet Crime Complaint Centermonitors cybercrime complaints to combat Internet crime. We also encourage you to regularly check your credit report to help spot any suspicious activity as soon as it occurs. To receive a free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com.
Contact the Social Security Administration If you believe your Social Security number has been compromised, the administration can help you review your statement.
Do you need a new Social Security number?
If you have taken all the steps recommended by the Social Security Administration and your Social Security number is no longer in use by anyone other than you, you do not need to apply for a new SSN. If you have taken all the required steps and your number is still in use, You can apply for a new one.
But the government isn’t making it easy to get a new Social Security number: You’ll need proof that your number is still being used by someone other than you. The government says that if you lose your card or think someone has stolen your number, but don’t have proof that someone else is using it, you can’t get a new number.
What can you do to prevent identity theft in the future?
In some cases, such as a national public data breach, there is little you can do to keep your information safe, but you can take steps to limit the risk.
Don’t carry your Social Security card in your wallet. Instead, keep it in a safe place at home. Having the number memorized will prevent you from having to take out your card every time you need to fill out a form. If you have to give your number over the phone, make sure you’re away from areas where others might overhear.
Employers and landlords often require that documents be sent via email. If you must email your Social Security number or other personal documents, be sure to encrypt the documents with a password or provide the numbers separately over the phone.
Employers need your Social Security number to run background checks, but you should be suspicious of any job ad that asks for personal information at the beginning of your application. Unless you’re starting a new position or have already received a job offer, you should never provide your Social Security number to a recruiter.
Finally, regularly check your bank and credit card statements and address any issues as soon as they arise. Enable two-factor password authentication to protect your personal information on websites and apps. Also, check where notifications come from (phone or email). The Social Security Administration has stated that they will generally only call you if you ask them to. If you think you’ve received a scam phone call or email, don’t give them any personal information.
In what other ways could personal data be stolen?
Theft can happen anywhere, anytime. They may steal your wallet or bag or go through your mail looking for your personal bank account or credit card information. The Social Security Administration warns that people rummaging through trash outside your home or business looking for sensitive information is another form of identity theft, as are people who buy your personal information from inside sources. You also risk receiving phone calls, texts, or emails that appear to be from legitimate sources but are actually scammers trying to get you to divulge your information.
As CNET’s Bree Fowler explainsCyber attacks occur when hackers use username and password combinations stolen in past data breaches to access your online accounts and then use them to break into as many accounts as possible. This strategy is reason enough to protect your passwords and use passkeys whenever possible.
