If you suspect that your information, including your SSN, might have been exposed in the supposed breach of National Public Data, here are some signs your identity has been compromised:
- Unrecognized financial activity: Check your credit reports frequently for any suspicious activities, unrecognized credit accounts, loans, or withdrawals. If you find some sort of financial activity which you do not recognize, then it might be identity theft.
- Calls from debt collectors: If you suddenly start getting calls from collection agencies about bills you don’t recognize, this might be evidence of a thief having opened new accounts using your SSN, and running up debt in your name. Call the collection agencies to dispute the fraud.
- Reduced government benefits: If you are denied government assistance, like unemployment or disability benefits, or find out that your benefits have been exhausted, it may be that a criminal has used your SSN to submit fraudulent claims for the benefits in question. Check your benefit statements regularly.
- Suspicious emails or messages: Be wary of an email, text message, or phone call stating that you owe money for a service you never ordered or were told about opening accounts where you are unaware. These can be signs of identity theft.
What to do if your Social Security Number was stolen
In case of your suspicion that your SSN was exposed either in the National Public Data breach or in any other breach, do the following without delay:
- Report identity theft to the FTC: You can report identity theft with the Federal Trade Commission at IdentityTheft.gov or 1-877-438-4338. The FTC will provide you with a recovery plan, which is specific to your situation, and also helps dispute fraudulent transactions.
- Freeze your credit: Call each of the three major credit bureaus and request that your credit be frozen. This prevents thieves from opening new accounts in your name. You can also place a fraud alert. This requires that a creditor verify your identity before opening any new accounts.
- Reach out to companies where fraud occurred: If you see accounts or services you know you didn’t open, contact those companies. Dispute the charges or accounts with those companies. Provide proof that you’re a victim of identity theft.
- Contact the IRS and Social Security Administration: Call the Internal Revenue Service to prevent someone from filing taxes using your SSN and claiming your refund. You’ll also need to contact the Social Security Administration to dispute the activity on your Social Security record and find out if you need a new SSN.
How to protect yourself moving forward
Sometimes, like with the PayPal breach, there is little you can do to protect yourself but even if your SSN wasn’t stolen in the National Public Data breach, here are some ways to protect yourself from future identity theft:
- Use a credit monitoring service: Sign up for a credit monitoring service that lets you know if someone is making any changes in your credit report. Microsoft Defender’s identity theft monitoring is one of the many services that offer restoration assistance in the event that a person falls victim to identity theft.
- File your taxes early: Scammers may file fake tax returns and get the refunds. The sooner you file, the lower the chances of this happening to you.
- Check your Social Security statement: Check your Social Security statement each year at SSA.gov to confirm that no one is working for wages using your SSN. If you notice income on the statement which you did not anticipate, it could be identity theft.
If you suspect your Social Security number was exposed in the National Public Data breach or any other breach, take the steps above to immediately report identity theft, dispute fraudulent activities, and request future credit protection. Be sure to check on your financial accounts and credit reports frequently to detect identity theft at an early stage. With proactive measures, you can damage-control when your SSN falls into the wrong hands.
