Excerpt from The Independent Article, Published on Nov 11, 2024.
In a massive data breach affecting 130-170 million people across the US, UK, and Canada, highly sensitive information—including Social Security numbers—has been leaked. The breach, orchestrated by Brazilian hacker Luan Gonçalves Barbosa, targeted National Public Data (NPD), a major data broker. Barbosa, who first attempted to sell the stolen data for $3.5 million on the dark web, later released it for free on hacking forums. Now, with over 20 state attorneys general demanding civil penalties, NPD faces mounting lawsuits, declaring bankruptcy in October.
For consumers, data breaches seem like a persistent threat. As James Lee, COO of the Identity Theft Resource Center, explains, most adults’ personal data is already available online due to years of data collection and breaches. NPD’s failure to alert the public until August 2024—months after learning of the breach—has raised serious questions about corporate responsibility.
The attack reflects a growing trend in cyber fraud, where criminals increasingly use stolen identities for larger-scale scams, such as applying for tax refunds or loans. While direct financial theft may be less common, hackers are utilizing automation to perform fraud on a massive scale.
Legal claims have been swift. Christopher Hoffman, a Californian, learned his data was compromised in July, and now, like many victims, he’s seeking damages for credit monitoring and identity theft protection. Although individual payouts in class actions may be small, experts recommend freezing credit as a stronger safeguard.
The breach serves as a reminder that consumers should stay vigilant and take preventive steps, such as activating free credit monitoring services and placing fraud alerts on credit files. The risk of another breach is real, with companies like NPD under fire for their handling of sensitive consumer data.
To delve deeper into this topic, please read the full article The Independent.
