Everyone in Indiana May Have Had Social Security Number Stolen

This is some scary news for anyone who lives in Indiana. Your social security number may have been stolen.

Everyone knows that a social security number is a very private thing. You never want to give that out to anyone. Granted, there are times when you have to give it out to prove your identity for financial purposes, but in general, the rule of thumb is to never give that information to anyone. Your social security card, in the hands of the wrong person, could cause a lot of problems for you that you really don't want to deal with.

If someone would find your Social Security card it would be so easy to steal your identification. Just watch the movie "Identity Theft," and you'll see how much of a headache that can be. As we head into this busy shopping season, you don't want that to happen. Getting your ID back takes weeks, if not months to make it all go away. It's not a quick and easy process. Unfortunately, everyone in Indiana might have to worry about this very issue. There are multiple reports that it's very possible every resident in Indiana has had their social security number stolen and the sources say these are very reputable.

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Everyone in Indiana May Have Had Their Social Security Number Stolen

I was just reading the report on Yahoo News, and I'm not going to lie, it's kind of scary to think about what might happen. The revelation of massive potential identity theft has come to light thanks to a class-action lawsuit shared by Bloomberg Law. So, what exactly happened? Let me give you a brief rundown.

According to Yahoo News, a hacking group called "USDoD" claims to have stolen 2.7 BILLION records earlier this year from National Public Data, which provides personal information to employers, private investigators, and others doing background checks. That includes sensitive identification information, including social security numbers for everyone in Indiana. Not just the Hoosier State in the U.S., U.K., and Canada.

The social security numbers were apparently listed for sale online, which means these digital villains could potentially steal your identity especially if combined with email addresses and other personal information, much of which is easily findable online. Officials are advising people to "monitor their credit reports" and "manage their passwords effectively."

The Yahoo News article gives several ways in which you can check to see if your information has been leaked, and if it has been, ways you can start to protect yourself. You can learn more by clicking here.