How to Tell if Your Information Was Impacted in a Data Breach

How to Tell if Your Data Has Been Breached

Here are some common ways to check whether your information was exposed in a data breach.

Look Up Your Information on Breach-Checking Websites

Sites like Have I Been Pwned and F-Secure Identity Theft Checker allow you to search hacker websites, forums and dark web sources of leaked data to see if your personal information appears in the data. You'll typically get a report showing where the data was stolen from, the date of the breach and what information was compromised, ranging from your password to your employer.

If you do find that your data was affected by a breach, you'll likely want to take action to protect yourself. Among the 80% of consumers who received at least one data breach notice in the past 12 months, 88% experienced at least one negative consequence as a result of that leak, according to the Identity Theft Resource Center.

Tip: If your email address or login details are exposed in a breach, secure any accounts that use the same information immediately. Hackers often try stolen credentials on other accounts. You should also enable multifactor authentication for added protection.

Check Your Accounts

Many important accounts, like your bank and credit card accounts, let you review recent activity. Sign in and look for the security or activity page in your account settings. Check for sign-ins from places or devices you don't recognize, changes to your contact info or recovery email and for new authorized apps or devices. On your bank and credit card accounts, scan recent transactions for charges you didn't make. Don't dismiss smaller charges, as criminals often run small test purchases before making bigger ones. If your accounts offer login alerts and real-time transaction notifications, turn them on so you're notified the moment something happens.

Review Your Credit Reports

Your credit reports list every credit account in your name and can be a great place to catch signs of identity theft after a data breach. You can check your reports from all three credit bureaus (Experian, TransUnion and Equifax) for free every week at AnnualCreditReport.com, and you can get your Experian report for free anytime.Look for accounts you didn't open to see if someone is using your identity to open accounts. Also watch for unusual entries, such as unauthorized hard inquiries from lenders or address changes you didn't make. If you notice anything suspicious, contact the credit bureau and the company involved right away to dispute it.

Look for Official Breach Notifications

Companies are required by law to notify customers when personal information has been exposed in a data breach. In many states, companies have a set number of days, often 30 to 60, to notify you once the breach is discovered. As such, checking your email inbox and mailbox is a direct way to find out whether your information was leaked.Search your email, including the spam folder, and check your physical mail for correspondence from companies you've done business with. If you find a notification, it'll typically tell you what data was exposed and when the breach happened. It may also explain what the company is doing about it, including giving free access to credit and identity monitoring programs.

Watch for IRS-Related Identity Theft Signs

Social Security numbers are often exposed in data breaches, which bad actors can then use to open accounts in your name. A criminal could also file a fake tax return to steal your refund or get a job using your Social Security number.Pay careful attention if you receive an unexpected IRS authentication letter or your electronically filed tax return is rejected because someone already filed taxes under your Social Security number. You might also find wages on your Social Security statement that you don't recognize.

Learn more: How Does the IRS Verify Your Identity?

What to Do if You Are Impacted by a Data Breach

Finding out your information was exposed in a breach can feel overwhelming, but it's important to stay calm while taking deliberate action to help limit any damage.

1. Identify Compromised Data

If you discover your data has been exposed in a breach, contact the affected company. They should be able to give you more information, including what data was exposed and what steps you should take.

Your response may depend on what type of information was compromised. If your email address was stolen, for example, the impact may be minimal. You might get more spam emails than usual. More sensitive information, like your Social Security number, could increase your risk of identity theft if exposed.

2. Change Affected Passwords Immediately

Change your passwords and PINs right away. Start with accounts tied to the data breach, especially financial accounts like bank accounts and credit cards. Keep in mind, though, your other accounts could also be at risk, since criminals often reuse stolen information across multiple sites. Avoid reusing the same password across many sites and use a password manager to create and store stronger passwords securely.

3. Enable Multifactor Authentication (MFA)

After a breach, a criminal may be able to obtain your password, so an extra layer of protection is worth it. Turn on multifactor authentication, or MFA, whenever you have the option. MFA requires you to verify your identity with multiple forms of verification, such as a password and a one-time code from an authenticator app. Authenticator apps and security keys are generally more secure options than text message codes, since phone numbers can be hijacked through SIM-swapping attacks.

4. Consider Freezing Your Credit and Placing Fraud Alerts

You have the right to place a fraud alert and a credit freeze on your credit reports to increase your protection from criminals trying to open new accounts using your information.

• A fraud alert does just that: It asks lenders to take extra steps to confirm it's really you before approving any new application. You can set one up for free at any of the three credit bureaus, and once you do, the alert will apply to all three credit reports automatically. A standard fraud alert lasts for one year, but you can renew it or request an extended fraud alert that stays active for seven years.
• A credit freeze goes a step further by blocking lenders from pulling your credit report in connection with a credit application. That makes it very difficult for anyone to open new credit accounts under your name unless the freeze is lifted first.

Learn more: Here's What You Should Do After a Data Breach

How to Protect Your Data Going Forward

Once you've taken steps to secure your accounts, it's also smart to adopt habits that help keep your personal information safer online.

• Limit what you share and where. Think twice before posting personal information on social media. Cybercriminals often use a tactic called social engineering, which includes searching for personal details about you and tricking or manipulating you into sharing sensitive information. Their aim is to get personal details like your birthday or your pet's name, which they can then use to answer security questions.
• Use secure Wi-Fi networks. Hackers can gain access to your data more easily when a network is unsecured. Never log in to financial accounts or other sites containing sensitive information while using a public Wi-Fi network. If you have to use public Wi-Fi, use a virtual private network (VPN) to encrypt your online activity.
• Use passkeys where available. Replace passwords with passkeys whenever possible. Passkeys use your device to verify your identity, so there's no password for criminals to steal.
• Regularly monitor your credit reports. Checking your credit reports regularly is a wise habit that can help you identify unfamiliar accounts or inquiries early so you can take action to avoid further harm.
• Opt out of people search sites. People finder sites collect your personal info from public records and sell it. Criminals can use this information to impersonate you and commit scams. You can use each site's opt-out process, or use a service like Experian's free privacy scan to handle it across multiple sites at once.

Learn more: Identity Theft Protection Tools and Measures You Can Use

Monitor Your Credit To Identify Potential Issues Early

Data breaches are an all-too-common reality of life in the internet age. It's an unfortunate downside to the conveniences and connectivity we enjoy from being online. If you suspect your data has been compromised, follow the steps above to find out whether your information was exposed and what you should do next.

Keeping tabs on your credit can help you spot suspicious activity sooner. Free credit monitoring from Experian alerts you to new accounts, hard inquiries and other changes to your Experian credit report. It also includes a FICO^® Score^Θ tracker so you can follow your progress over time.