Social Security numbers
What happened with the USDoD hack
Around April 2024, the hacker group USDoD illegally obtained the unencrypted personal information of billions of individuals from the National Public Data. Earlier stories of this breach had the number of individuals’ records at 2.9 billion; however, after further research…
The threat of ID theft
The cyber-hacking group USDoD claimed to have stolen the personal records of 2.9 billion people from National Public Data. The National Public Data offers personal information to employers, private investigators, staffing agencies, and others doing background checks. If you are…
Social Security Numbers Can Be Changed…But Be Careful!
There are legitimate reasons to change one’s Social Security Number (SSN), and Social Security Administration regulations provide a process for doing so. Among the valid reasons are identity theft, mistaken dual issuance of a number, and “religious or cultural objections…
Social Security Numbers Emerge as Key Voter Concern
Election-related cybersecurity concerns have cast a spotlight on Social Security numbers, at least indirectly. The Center for Digital Government, a division of e.Republic, Government Technology’s parent company, reports that “phishing” (the hazard induced by clicking on emailed links or opening attachments from…
Caller ID Says Social Security…But is it Real?
The criminals these days are expanding their criteria these days, using clever tricks to con unsuspecting folks and draw them into their web. As explained in this Washington Times post by reporter Stephen Dinan, the crooks have honed their technique…
New Medicare cards coming soon
(Source: Federal Trade Commission) New Medicare cards are coming soon. Here’s what you need to know about your new card. Plus, how to avoid related scams. Starting in April 2018, Medicare will begin mailing new cards to everyone who gets…