Class Action Lawsuit
National Public Data got the data by scratching nonpublic sources without consent, as indicated by a proposed class action lawsuit. A House of Representatives committee has launched an investigation as a response.
Source: Speaker Paul Ryan/Facebook
If your personal data was leaked during the massive data breach, here are the steps you can take to determine whether it was stolen and then safeguard your Social Security number.
Summer 2024 Potential Leaks
According to National Public Data, it obtains personal information from various national repositories, including public record databases, court records, state and national databases, and others.
Source: Desola Lanre-Ologun/Unsplash
As per a National Public Data release in August, “The incident is believed to have involved a third-party bad actor that was trying to hack into data in late December 2023, with potential leaks of certain data in April 2024 and summer 2024.”
1.3 Million Victims
The theft (purportedly by a cybercriminal group by the name of USDoD) might be as extensive as almost 3 billion individual records of individuals and encompass your name, email address, telephone number, Social Security number, and mailing information.
Source: Eastern Maine Development Corporation/Facebook
The specific number of individuals whose data was taken is as yet unclear. Maine’s Head Attorney General office puts the number at 1.3 million, allegedly founded on discussions with the data broker. Troy Chase of Have I Been Pwned gauges that the stolen documents include 134 million unique email addresses.
Check Your Social Security Number
On Aug. 22, the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability declared it was opening an investigation concerning “ reports about a possible cyberattack executed against National Public Data.”
Source: Kentucky National Guard Public Affairs Office/Flickr
You can check for free on the websites of two online security companies to see if your Social Security number is in the stolen data store: One is npdbreach.com, which comes from Atlas Privacy, an online privacy company; The cybersecurity firm Pentester operates the second, npd.pentester.com.
Cooperation
Both search tools are not difficult to utilize and look for changed snippets of data in the stash. You won’t need to enter your Social Security number for either.
Source: Markus Spiske/Unsplash
The company stated in an August release regarding the security breach that it is collaborating with government and law enforcement investigators and reviewing the potentially affected records.
“Further Significant Developments”
For the people who had their data taken, the organization said it “will try to notify you if there are further significant developments applicable to you” and suggests you intently screen your financial records for unapproved action. The company provided an email address at the statement’s conclusion: [email protected].
Source: Lewis Kang’ethe Ngugi/Unsplash
While you can’t stop the theft, you can watch your credit reports and monetary records so that suspicious activity could alert you to your Social Security number and other personal information being used.
Spotting Identity Theft
You can check a free website like Have I Been Pwned to see if your email has been leaked as part of a data breach as a starting point.
Source: Tyler Lahti/Wikimedia Commons
Request a free annual credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, and look for unusual activity, such as a new account you didn’t open, to spot identity theft. Also, keep an eye on your bank and credit card statements for any unanticipated payments or charges.
Credit Monitoring
A credit monitoring service can keep an eye on your major credit bureau reports at all times and notify you of unusual activity. You can set fraud alerts with a monitoring service to be notified whenever someone tries to use your Social Security number or your identity to get credit.
Source: Hack Capital/Unsplash
Assuming you think your Social Security number has been taken, know that the Social Security Administration itself can’t do a lot if somebody utilizes your stolen data to, for instance, open a credit extension or find a new line of work.
Recovery Advice
To prevent another person from making an online Social Security account in your name, where they could see your statement, change your location, and more, make sure you have your own online account.
Source: Harrison Keely/Wikimedia Commons
To get a personal recovery plan, go to IdentityTheft.gov, which is run by the Federal Trade Commission, and fill out a form there. This plan guides you through all you need to know about shielding yourself from fraud and regaining your identity. You can call 877-438-4337 as well.
IRS Assistance
If your Social Security number has been stolen, you should get in touch with the Internal Revenue Service to stop the thief from using your number to get a job or to file a tax return and get a refund.
Source: Geraldshields11/Wikimedia Commons
Taxes owed may appear on your record if a thief uses your Social Security number to obtain employment. To dispute these claims, obtain assistance, and resolve any issues, visit the IRS’s guide to identifying theft.
Applying For a New SSN
Contact the Social Security Administration if you think your Social Security number has been compromised and the organization can assist with assessing your statements.
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You are not required to apply for a new Social Security number (SSN) if you have completed all of the recommendations made by the Social Security Administration and your SSN is no longer being used by anyone other than yourself.
You can apply for a new number if you’ve done everything necessary to prevent it from being used and it is still in use.
