Another massive Social Security database just leaked. Ars Technica has the details.
And the sad part? You can’t even tell which breach I’m talking about without clicking. Because it could have been:
Experian (2013 & 2015)
Equifax (2017)
National Public Data (2023)
United Healthcare (2024)
TransUnion (last month)
The hits just keep coming.
This week’s newsletter is short (because frankly, the breaches keep repeating themselves). But stick with me. We’ve got a homework assignment for you at the end that will actually help lock things down.
At this point, assume your data is already out there. Dark Web monitoring tools in password managers prove it daily. Personally, I checked npd.pentester.com after this latest leak. My data wasn’t in that one, but it was in several spots on the Dark Web. Win some, lose some, I guess.
Here’s the truth: no one is protecting your data but you. Companies aren’t. The government isn’t. Accountability is MIA. And while outrage is valid, outrage alone won’t stop the leaks.
So, what do you do? (here’s that homework…)
The Lock-It-Down Checklist
These steps don’t just cover you for this breach—they cover you for all the ones still to come.
Lock your SSN with DHS’s E-Verify Self Lock.
Freeze your credit with all three bureaus (here’s Experian’s guide). Pro tip: do this for your kids and dependents, too.
Keep monitoring your credit. Freezing slows the bad guys down, but fraudsters gonna fraud. Stay vigilant.
If someone calls asking you to confirm your SSN, just hang up. Don’t repeat or “confirm” anything. They’re trying to get you to say it in your voice so they can use it later.
Here’s the thing: spoofed calls and scammy texts are only getting nastier. We’ll cover that in detail soon. For now? Lock it all down.
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