[BreachExchange] T-Mobile data breach information found for sale on dark web

[Terrell Byrd]

https://localnews8.com/news/crime-tracker/2022/03/02/t-mobile-data-breach-information-found-for-sale-on-dark-web/

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) - Attorney General Lawrence Wasden urges all Idaho
residents who believe they were impacted by the data breach announced by
T-Mobile in August 2021 to take appropriate steps to protect their
information from identity theft.

The alert follows the discovery of a large subset of the breached
information for sale on the dark web - a hidden portion of the internet
where cyber criminals buy, sell and track personal information. Many
individuals have since received alerts through various identity theft
protection services informing them their information was found online in
connection with the breach, confirming that impacted individuals are at
heightened risk for identity theft.

On August 17, T-Mobile reported a massive data breach compromising the
sensitive personal information of millions of current, former, and
prospective T-Mobile customers. The breach impacted more than 53 million
individuals, including 178,764 Idahoans. This figure includes 26,641 Idaho
customers and 152,123 non-customers. Among other categories of impacted
information, millions had their names, dates of birth, Social Security
Numbers, and driver’s license information compromised.

“This breach was unique in that it affected T-Mobile customers but also
prospective customers,” Wasden said. “So if you’ve ever inquired about a
T-Mobile phone or other service, this situation may impact you. So I
encourage anyone who receives a notice or alert to take it seriously,
whether you’ve actually been a T-Mobile customer or not.”

Wasden urges anyone who believes they were impacted by the T-Mobile breach
to take the following steps to protect themselves:

Monitor your credit. Credit monitoring services track your credit report
and alert you whenever a change is made, such as a new account or a large
purchase. Most services will notify you within 24 hours of any change to
your credit report.
Consider placing a free credit freeze on your credit report. Identity
thieves will not be able to open a new credit account in your name while
the freeze is in place. You can place a credit freeze by contacting each of
the three major credit bureaus:
Equifax |
https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-freeze/
Experian | https://www.experian.com/freeze/center.html
TransUnion | https://www.transunion.com/credit-freeze
Place a fraud alert on your credit report. A fraud alert tells lenders and
creditors to take extra steps to verify your identity before issuing
credit. You can place a fraud alert by contacting any one of the three
major credit bureaus.
Additional Resources. If you believe you are a victim of identity theft, go
to identitytheft.gov for assistance on how to report it and recover from it
- or contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at
1-800-432-3545 or 208-334-2424.
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