Watch your accounts: Massive hack of Social Security numbers and more

August 16, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

Share this:

NATIONWIDE — A MAJOR DEALER of personal background information confirmed on Friday that Social Security numbers and other private data has been hacked, and recommended that basically everyone should put fraud alerts on their files at credit bureaus and keep a close watch on their financial accounts, the Washington Post reported. National Public Data finally posted the warning on its website months after word began circulating of a massive breach and people’s private information appeared for sale on hacking forums. The company did not say how many people were at risk, but “companies like it have records on virtually all Americans,” WaPo said.

Unlike rules governing credit records, there are few regulations for the hundreds of data-brokers, which sell people’s email and street addresses, phone numbers, Social Security numbers, likely relatives, and property and legal records, WaPo said.

✰✰✰