Social Security number leak: 7 steps to take if you're affected, according to the Social Security Administration (2024)

In an early August Bloomberg Law report, it was discovered that ultra-sensitive and personal information of nearly three billion people was leaked in an April 2024 data breach. A cybercriminal group called "USDoD" exposed a database owned by National Public Data, a background check company, on the dark web.

Some of the exposed information includes Social Security numbers, addresses, full names, information on relatives, and more. Concerned readers can find out whether they are one of the billions who are affected by visiting npd.pentester.com.

However, the question is, once you've been affected by the breach, what do you do?

Social Security data leak: 7 steps to take if you've been affected

According to advice from the Social Security Administration (SSA), here are the steps you should take if your personal data has been breached:

1. Visit IdentityTheft.gov. Make make a report and get a recovery plan. You can also call 1-877-438-4338.

2. Visit the Internet Crime Complaint Center. File an online report.

3. Notify one of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion.

4. Consider adding a credit freeze and/or fraud alert to your credit report.

5. Check your credit report for anything out of the ordinary. (You can get a free credit report at AnnualCreditReport.com)

6. File a police report. Keep a copy of it for your records in case issues arise in the future.

7. Contact the IRS to prevent others from using your Social Security number to file a tax return to steal your refund. Call 1-800-908-4490 or visit Identity Theft Central.

Again, as mentioned at the outset, you can double check if you've been breached by navigating to npd.pentester.com; type in your first name, last name, state, and birth year.