Millions of AT&T customers are on alert after the company confirmed a data leak exposing personal information of over 73 million people. The data, which surfaced on the dark web, reportedly includes Social Security numbers, raising serious concerns about identity theft and fraud. Here AT&T Data Breach
Breach Details
AT&T announced the breach on Saturday, revealing that a dataset containing customer information was discovered online. The data impacts both current and former customers, with an estimated 7.6 million active accounts and a staggering 65.4 million former accounts compromised. While the exact source of the leak remains under investigation, the company believes the data may be from 2019 or earlier.
Information Potentially Exposed
The exposed data reportedly includes a range of sensitive information, including:
- Social Security numbers (SSNs) for a significant portion of affected customers
- Passcodes for current AT&T accounts
- Contact details such as email addresses, mailing addresses, and phone numbers
- Birth dates
This information puts affected individuals at risk of identity theft, financial fraud, and other malicious activities.
AT&T’s Response
AT&T has assured customers that they are taking the breach seriously. The company has already reset passcodes for current users and is actively communicating with impacted individuals. They are also investigating the source of the leak to prevent similar incidents in the future.
What to Do If You’re Affected
If you are an AT&T customer, here are some steps you can take to protect yourself:
- Change your AT&T password and any other passwords that use the same credentials.
- Monitor your bank accounts and credit reports for suspicious activity.
- Consider placing a credit freeze or fraud alert to further safeguard your information.
- Be cautious of phishing attempts. Criminals may try to exploit the data breach by sending emails or calls that appear to be from AT&T. Do not click on any links or provide personal information unless you are certain the communication is legitimate.
This data breach highlights the importance of protecting personal information. By staying vigilant and taking appropriate precautions, you can minimize the potential damage caused by such incidents.