Many Social Security numbers were revealed in a recent breach that affected about 3 billion personal details. Was that one you had?
Here's how to look for signs and what you can do to stay safe.
Most likely, you've never heard of National Public Data, a business that obtains revenue by gathering and selling credit card companies, employers, and private investigators access to your personal information.
It now seems that roughly 2.9 billion of its records were taken by the hacker collective USDoD.
Those databases likely contain your information, potentially even your Social Security number (SSN).
The USDoD intended to charge only $3.5 million to sell this data. Ironically, Fenice, a different threat actor, stole and posted the material online before USDoD could benefit from it.
To what extent is it terrible? The security firm Vx-Underground claims that among the stolen data are:
- Initially named
- Last name
- Address Address history spanning thirty years
- Social Security number
- Additionally, according to Vx-Underground, "the database does not contain information from individuals who use data opt-out services."
The 277GB of exposed data could be utilized for fraud and identity theft. Due to the many records per person, the breach may not necessarily touch 2.9 billion distinct persons, but it still presents a serious danger.
The data can be used to apply for loans, start false accounts, or even file taxes. To what extent is it truly bad? The security firm Vx-Underground claims that among the stolen data are
These are websites or services that let you refuse an organization or business that wants to retain your information.
Although it's probably a little late for many of you, that's nice to know.
The 277GB of exposed data could be utilized for fraud and identity theft. Due to the many records per person, the breach may not necessarily touch 2.9 billion distinct persons, but it still presents a serious danger.
The data can be used to apply for loans, start false accounts, or even file taxes.
How to ascertain whether your SSN was compromised?
If your Social Security number was compromised by the personal security firm Pentester, you can find out on this website.
You must enter your birth year, last name, first and last names, and the states you have resided in.
The website will offer you a chart indicating your address in the record and the last two digits of your SSN if your SSN was compromised.
Try looking up records for past states and/or different last names if you can't locate any connected to your present name or state.
I used this program to test it, and it listed real records.
"Names, addresses, and phone numbers might change, but your social security number doesn't," stated Richard Glaser, co-founder of Pentester. When you apply for loans, credit cards, or investments, financial organizations use your SSN to confirm your identity and ensure that you are following the law. It's the secret to your identification if you're a citizen of the US. You must thus ascertain whether or not your Social Security Number is public knowledge.
How to keep an eye on your credit reports?
Check your credit reports (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion) for any unlawful activity if your SSN was compromised (and keep checking!). Use the websites of the credit bureaus to report any questionable transactions, and freeze your credit to stop anyone from opening new accounts in your name.
The credit companies Equifax Credit Freeze, Experian Credit Freeze, and TransUnion Credit Freeze allow you to freeze your credit. You can also get assistance from certain financial firms, including Credit Karma, in freezing your credit.
It's time to take precautions against identity theft and credit monitoring if you fear that your data has been exploited against you. ZDNET considers Aura to be the greatest overall service of this kind.
However, using these services is not enough.
Watch out for phishing scams.
Additionally, you ought to be on the lookout for phishing scams. Any emails, texts, or phone calls requesting personal information should be avoided.
Your compromised data will be used by scammers to create convincing phishing attacks.
For instance, I recently received an email claiming to be from my bank, which included my address, alerting me to the fact that my account had been compromised and advising me to update my password immediately using the provided link.
Moreover, cease purchasing antivirus software from third parties. This is the reason
That type of message should never be trusted, regardless of whether it is alerting you to something terrible or making an unbelievable promise. Never open links from these kinds of texts or emails.
How to proceed after clicking on a phishing link?
Don't freak out if you click on a phishing link. But do act now and perform these actions:
Cut off your connection to the internet and your local network right away. By doing this, any possible virus is stopped from propagating or interacting with hostile servers.
Make a backup of your critical data on a USB stick or an external hard drive. This protects your data if it is corrupted or lost.
Do a comprehensive antivirus scan. Does your device lack one? After that, you ought to download an antivirus program to a different computer, copy its setup file to a USB drive, and install it on the system that is impacted.
Make sure you update the passwords on all of your internet accounts, particularly the crucial ones like credit cards and bank accounts.
Consider utilizing a password manager and create strong, one-of-a-kind passwords for every account.
Turn on two-factor verification. Whenever it's feasible, turn on multi-factor authentication (MFA) for your accounts. This enhances security on top of it.
Keep an eye on your major internet accounts. Get in touch with the business right once if you see any unusual activity.
How to handle a hacked SSN?
If someone is improperly or without your permission using your Social Security number, you should take the following action:
- Report a theft online at IdentityTheft.gov to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). This website will offer you a customized recovery plan and walk you through the procedure.
- Make a police report and turn it into local law enforcement. Even while they might not have time to look into it right away, having a police record can serve as important documentation.
- Keep an eye out for any unauthorized accounts or activity on your credit reports. AnnualCreditReport.com provides free weekly credit reports.
As previously said, you ought to apply a credit freeze to your credit reports with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, the three main credit bureaus.
This stops people from opening new accounts in your name.
Additionally, you have the option to add a fraud alert to your credit reports, which forces companies to confirm your identification before extending credit in your name.
Look over your Social Security statement to see if there are any unusual transactions, including undeclared income.
Next, to stop possible tax-related fraud, get in touch with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This is what you should do:
Contact the IRS: 1-800-908-4490 is the number to reach the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit. This line is intended to support people who think they may have been the victims of identity theft related to their tax accounts.
Send in a Statement about Identity Theft: Fill out IRS Form 14039, which is intended to notify the IRS of possible identity theft. You have two options for submitting it:
download the form from the IRS website, mail it to the address listed on the form, and submit it online via IdentityTheft.gov, which will forward it to the IRS.
React to IRS Notices:
If you receive a notification from the IRS claiming that your Social Security number has been used fraudulently, do as instructed.
These notifications are usually sent by snail mail. To address the matter and confirm your identification, you can subsequently be asked to submit Form 14039 or other supporting paperwork.
This can be an arduous, drawn-out procedure. But your identity can be stolen if you don't monitor and, if needed, secure your accounts. The pain of recovering from identity theft is far greater than that of preventing it.
Moreover: Did you get a phony McAfee invoice? The two things you should never do and how the scam operates
After that, maintain your vigilance and keep a regular eye on your accounts and credit reports. Report any suspicious activity right once to the appropriate law enforcement agencies and financial institutions. You cannot handle this threat once and then turn a blind eye to it. It will continue for the rest of your life.
Yes, I hate that too.
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