Is Your Social Security Number Part of the National Public Data Breach?
Insights Safety2.9 Billion records were reportedly stolen in a massive National Public Data breach. Here's how you can see if your Social Security number is included and how to secure your personal information.
What Happened?
National Public Data—a data broker that sells personal information to private investigators, public record sites, and staffing agencies—has announced that a "third-party bad actor" hacked their data and leaked it on the dark web. According to a proposed class action lawsuit, the company reportedly obtained this information by scraping nonpublic sources without consent. The information suspected of being breached contained name, email address, phone number, social security number, and mailing address(es).
How to Check if Your Information Was Compromised?
To help you determine if your Social Security number was compromised in the National Public Data breach, two cybersecurity companies have provided free online tools:
- Atlas Privacy offers a tool at https://www.npdbreach.com/. Atlas Privacy specializes in helping people remove their personal information from data brokers.
- Pentester has a tool available at https://npd.pentester.com/. Pentester, a cybersecurity company, also provides links to sites where you can freeze your credit reports after searching their database.
Both tools are user-friendly and search different aspects of the breached data, so it is suggested that you search both sites. These resources can help you quickly identify if your information is at risk and take steps to protect your identity.
My Information is Included in the Breach, Now What?
As a first step, we recommend that you closely monitor your financial accounts. As a second step, you may want to contact the three U.S. credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) to obtain a free credit report from each by calling 1.877.322.8228 or by logging onto www.annualcreditreport.com.
For Extra Protection, Place a Credit Freeze.
Freezing your credit is a simple and proactive step to protect your financial identity. It prevents new creditors from accessing your credit report, making it more difficult for identity thieves to open accounts in your name. To place a freeze, you need to freeze your credit at each of the three major credit bureaus separately or use a service like CreditKarma. For your convenience, we’ve included the links below:
Note that freezing your credit does not affect your credit score, nor does it prevent you from getting your free annual credit report. You can easily lift the freeze temporarily if you need to apply for credit or permanently when it suits your needs.
Unfortunately, for many of us, this isn’t the first time our personal information has been hacked and leaked to the dark web. It’s important to stay protective of your personal information and keep a watchful eye on your financial accounts. It’s also important to be safe when using the internet and clicking links in emails. If you think your social security number has been stolen or you believe you are the victim of identity theft, click HERE for steps you should take.
As always, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Best regards,
Michelle Kessel-Harbart & Ken Brown
This information has been drawn from sources believed to be reliable. Every effort has been made to assure the accuracy of the information, however, the accuracy of this information is not guaranteed. All investing is subject to risk, including possible loss of money you invest. Diversification does not ensure a profit or protect against a loss. The information provided in this commentary is for informational purposes only and is not a solicitation to buy and/or sell. Investors must consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of any investment carefully before investing. Avisen Wealth Management (Member FINRA/SIPC) does not provide tax or legal advice. Please consult your accountant &/or legal counsel for guidance. Avisen Wealth Management, CA Ins License #0E52062