A 2023 Data Breach Exposed Your Personal Details—and the Problem Will Last Years

A December 2023 breach exposed Social Security numbers, addresses, and birthdates for 170 million people in the US, UK, and Canada. Unlike stolen credit cards, which banks can replace, these identifiers cannot be changed. Criminals can use them for years to commit identity fraud, open fake accounts, or trick you into revealing more information by posing as someone trustworthy.