Last December, 2.9 billion records were stolen in the massive National Public Data breach. You can check if your Social Security number was stolen and take steps to protect your data if your personal information was leaked. Here’s how.
According to an August statement from National Public Data – a data broker that sells personal information to private investigators, public consumer data sites, human resources and staffing agencies – “a malicious third party” hacked the data and posted the stolen information on the dark web. National Public Data obtained the information by searching nonpublic sources without consent, a proposed class action lawsuit says.
Here are the steps you can take to determine if your information was stolen and then protect your Social Security number in case your personal information was leaked in the massive data hack. For more, check out the best identity theft protection services and how to freeze your credit. For more on Social Security, here’s when you can expect to receive your Social Security check this month and 4 ways you can lose your Social Security benefits.
How was my personal information stolen in the National Public Data breach?
According to a statement from National Public Data this month, “the incident is believed to have involved a malicious third party attempting to hack into data in late December 2023. Potential data leaks could occur in April and summer 2024.”
The theft – allegedly by a cybercriminal group called USDoD – could include nearly 3 billion personal records, including your name, email address, phone number, social security number and mailing addresses.
The exact number of people whose data was stolen is still unknown. The Maine Attorney General’s office estimates the number at 1.3 million, reportedly based on conversations with the data broker. Troy Hunt of Have I Been Pwned estimates that the stolen files include 134 million unique email addresses.
How to check if your Social Security number was stolen in the National Public Data hack
Two online security companies have set up websites where you can check for free whether your Social Security number is part of the stolen personal information cache: one is https://www.npdbreach.com/ from online privacy company Atlas Privacy; the second is https://npd.pentester.com/ from cybersecurity company Pentester.
Both lookup tools are easy to use and search for different information in the stash. Both showed that my personal information was stolen in the hack after searching the different states I lived in.
What is National Public Data doing in response to the data theft?
In a statement about the breach, the company said it was working with law enforcement and government investigators and conducting a review of potentially affected records. For those whose data was stolen, the company said it “will attempt to notify them if there are any further significant developments relevant to them” and recommends closely monitoring their bank accounts for unauthorized activity.
How do I know if my social security number has been shared?
While you can’t prevent theft, you can monitor your credit reports and bank accounts for unexpected activity to see if your Social Security number and other personal information is being used.
Check if your stolen data has been leaked: First, check to see if your email has been leaked in a data breach on a free site like Have I Been Pwned.
Monitor your credit reports: To spot identity theft, request a free credit report once a year from each of the three major credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — and watch for unusual activity, such as a new account you didn’t open. Also pay attention to your credit card and bank statements to spot unexpected charges and payments.
Sign up for a credit monitoring service. A credit monitoring service can constantly monitor your credit report with the major credit bureaus and alert you if unusual activity is detected. With a monitoring service, you can set up fraud alerts that will notify you if someone tries to get credit using your identity, such as if someone tries to use your Social Security number. Here are the best identity theft protection services.
I think my social security number was stolen. What should I do?
If you think your Social Security number was stolen, you should know that if someone uses your stolen information to, say, get a loan or a job, there’s not much the Social Security Administration itself can do. Here’s what you can do.
Visit the Federal Trade Commission website IdentityTheft.gov and fill out a form to receive a personalized recovery plan. This plan will walk you through everything you need to know about protecting yourself from fraud and restoring your identity. You can also call 877-438-4337.
Contact the Internal Revenue Service if your Social Security number was stolen, to prevent the thief from using your number to file a tax return and get your tax refund, or to prevent them from using your number for a job. If a thief uses your Social Security number to get a job, taxes owed may show up on your record. Visit the IRS’s Identity Theft Central to dispute these claims, get help, and resolve any issues you have.
Submit an online complaint to the Cybercrime Complaints Centerwhich monitors cybercrime complaints to combat internet crimes. It is also advisable to check your credit report from time to time to detect suspicious behavior. Visit www.annualcreditreport.com to get a free credit report.
Contact the Social Security Administration if you believe your Social Security number has been compromised, and the administration can help you review your bank statements.
Do I need a new social security number?
If you have completed all the steps recommended by the Social Security Administration and your Social Security number is no longer being used by anyone other than you, you do not need to apply for a new SSN. If you have completed all the required steps and still find that your number is being used, You can apply for a new one.
However, the administration doesn’t make it easy to get a new SSN. You have to prove that your number is still being used by someone other than yourself. The administration said if you lost your card or believe someone stole your number but don’t have evidence that someone else used it, you won’t be able to get a new one.
What can I do to prevent identity theft in the future?
Sometimes, like with the National Public Data breach, there’s not much you can do to protect your information. But you can take steps to limit your risk.
Don’t carry your Social Security card in your wallet. Instead, keep it in a safe place in your home. Try to memorize your number so you don’t have to take out your card every time you fill out a document that requires it. If you have to give your number over the phone, make sure you’re far away from other people who might hear it.
Employers and landlords often require documents to be submitted electronically via email. If you must submit your Social Security number or other personal documents via email, try encrypting the document with a password or providing your number separately in a phone conversation.
Your employer will need your Social Security number to conduct a background check, but you should be skeptical of any job posting that asks you to provide personal information at the beginning of an application. Unless you’re starting a new job and have an offer in hand, you shouldn’t give a recruiter your Social Security number.
Finally, check your bank and credit statements regularly to fix any problems as they arise. Enable two-factor authentication for your passwords to protect your private information on websites and apps. And check the source of your notifications – whether they’re phone calls or emails. The Social Security Administration has said that they generally won’t call you unless you’ve requested a call. If you think you’ve received a scam call or email, don’t give the person any personal information.
How else could my personal information be stolen?
Theft happens everywhere and all the time. People steal wallets and bags or go through mail looking for personal banking or credit card information. The Social Security Administration warns that people rummaging through trash outside homes or businesses looking for important information is another route to identity theft, as are people buying personal information from inside sources. There is also the risk of receiving calls, texts or emails from seemingly official sources that are actually scammers trying to get you to give up information.
As Bree Fowler of CNET explainedCyberattacks occur when hackers crack online accounts using username and password combinations, often stolen in previous data breaches, and use them to break into as many accounts as possible. This strategy is reason enough to protect your passwords and use passkeys whenever possible.
