AT&T announced Saturday that the data of 73 million current and former customers is on the dark web. AT&T said in a statement that the data, including Social Security numbers, appears to date back to 2019 or earlier and includes personal information for approximately 7.6 million checking account holders and 65.4 million former customers.
The breach first came to light in 2021, when hackers claimed to have stolen customer data from AT&T and put that information up for sale. According to Troy Hunt, creator of Have I Been Pwned, stolen customers dating back to March 2024 may include the customer’s name, address, phone number, social security number, and date of birth. Data was discovered on the dark web. .
In response, AT&T announced that it had contacted 7.6 million current customers and reset their passcodes. Whether you have a small existing customer or a large group of former account holders who believe their data was stolen in a breach, steps can be taken to mitigate the damage. Read on to find out what you can do. AT&T did not immediately respond to CNET’s request for comment.
To learn more, check out our selection of the best services and methods for protecting and monitoring your identity theft. Consumer Report’s permission slip helps you manage your online data.
What you need to know about the AT&T data breach
AT&T announced on March 30 that the personal information of 73 million current and former customers, including Social Security numbers, was leaked to the dark web in the middle of this month. According to Bleeping Computer’s 2021 Breach Report, the stolen information also includes names, addresses, phone numbers, and dates of birth. AT&T said the information does not appear to include personal financial information or call history.
AT&T said the stolen information appears to be from before 2019, but it is unclear whether the information came from AT&T or its vendors.
How to find out if your information was part of the AT&T breach
AT&T said it is contacting 7.6 million current customers whose data was stolen and resetting their passcodes. The company said it is also in contact with 65.4 million former account holders whose data was stolen.
However, you don’t have to wait to hear from AT&T. Have I Been Pwned lets you check if your data has been leaked. If you store your password information in your Google Account, our password checking tool will alert you if your account information is compromised. You can also check for leaked passwords with the premium version of your favorite password manager, Bitwarden.
How to monitor your credit report for fraud
If you believe your personal information was part of an AT&T breach, you can also monitor your credit report for signs of potential fraud.
Monitor your credit report. You can get one free credit report per year from the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Reports look for unusual or unfamiliar activity, such as the appearance of new accounts that are not open. Also, keep an eye on your credit card accounts and bank statements for unexpected charges or payments.
Sign up for a credit monitoring service. please select credit monitoring service It constantly monitors your credit report from the major credit bureaus and alerts you when it detects unusual activity. To help you monitor, you can set up fraud alerts that notify you if someone tries to create trust using your identity.a Credit reporting services like LifeLock start at $7.50 per month –Alternatively, you can use a free service like Credit Karma.
What to do if you think you’re a victim of fraud or identity theft
As soon as you suspect your personal information has been stolen, you can take steps to stop fraudulent claims and begin recovering your identity.
Issue a fraud alert. If you suspect fraud, file a fraud alert with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion credit reporting agencies. This alert notifies creditors that you are the victim of fraud and reminds them to check that you have made new credit requests in your name. You can set up an initial fraud alert that stays on your credit report for 90 days, or an extended fraud alert that stays on your credit report for 7 years. Issuing a fraud alert does not affect your credit score.
Please contact our fraud department. For each company and credit card company where you believe an account was opened or charged without your knowledge, please contact their fraud department. Although we are not responsible for unauthorized charges to your account, you should promptly report any suspicious activity.
Freeze your credit. If you want to prevent someone from opening credit or requesting loans or services in your name without your permission, you can freeze your credit. You will need to request a freeze from each of the three credit bureaus (also his Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion). To apply for new credit, you will need to unfreeze your credit again through each credit bureau. You can request a temporary unfreeze, or you can unfreeze permanently.
Create a recovery plan. The Federal Trade Commission provides valuable tools to help you report identity theft and recover your personal information through the Personal Recovery Plan and Identity Theft Report. This may be helpful in contesting the charges.
Document everything. Keep copies of all documents and expenses, as well as records of conversations about the theft.
Learn more about our favorite password managers and the best VPN services.
