How Criminals Use Social Security Numbers After A Data Breach
A data breach that exposes Social Security numbers can create ongoing risks, even after a company says its systems are secure. Unlike passwords, Social Security numbers cannot be changed whenever they are compromised. Criminals may use a stolen Social Security number along with a victim’s name, birth date, address, or financial details to commit identity theft and fraud. Sometimes, this stolen information is shared or sold to others, which means it could be misused months or even years after the breach. If you are affected by a breach, it is important to know how Social Security numbers can be used so you can understand the possible harm.
Our cybersecurity lawyers help people across the United States who have been harmed when companies do not properly protect personal information. If your Social Security number is compromised, we look at what happened, what information was exposed, how the company responded, and what financial or other problems you experienced.
Why Social Security Numbers Are So Valuable To Identity Thieves
Social Security numbers are valuable because they are often used to confirm a person’s identity. Many organizations, including employers, banks, healthcare providers, government agencies, insurers, and schools, collect them.
If a criminal only has a Social Security number, they might not have enough information to commit certain types of fraud. But a data breach can reveal several pieces of personal information at once. A stolen record might include a name, Social Security number, birth date, address, phone number, email, or financial details. The more information criminals obtain, the greater their ability may be to impersonate a victim or defeat identity-verification procedures.
Criminals May Attempt To Open New Credit Accounts
One major worry after a Social Security number is exposed is new-account fraud. Criminals may try to use stolen information to open credit cards, loans, or other accounts in the victim’s name.
Victims might not notice the fraud right away. They may only find out after checking their credit report, getting a collection notice, being contacted about an unpaid debt, or being denied credit.
This can force a victim to spend substantial time disputing accounts, communicating with creditors, reviewing credit reports, placing fraud alerts or credit freezes, and documenting the identity theft.
Stolen Information May Be Used For Tax-Related Identity Theft
Criminals may also use stolen Social Security numbers in attempts to commit tax-related identity theft. For example, someone may attempt to file a fraudulent tax return using another person’s identifying information to obtain a refund.
For victims, the problems can go beyond the theft itself. They may need to prove the fraud, talk to government agencies, confirm their identity, and fix issues caused by the fake filing.
A data breach lawsuit may therefore involve more than the abstract fact that information left a company’s systems. We look closely at what actually happened to affected individuals after the exposure.
Criminals May Use Social Security Numbers To Commit Employment Identity Theft
A stolen Social Security number may also be used in connection with employment. Someone who does not want to use their own identifying information may provide another person’s Social Security number when seeking work.
The resulting problems can be difficult for the actual holder of the Social Security number to identify and correct. Incorrect earnings or employment information can become associated with an innocent person, potentially creating tax and administrative complications.
When evaluating a data breach claim, we consider whether compromised information has produced these types of real-world consequences.
Social Security Numbers Can Be Combined With Other Stolen Data
One reason major data breaches are so concerning is that criminals do not necessarily rely on information from a single incident.
Information from one breach may potentially be combined with data obtained elsewhere. A Social Security number from one source could be paired with an email address, password, telephone number, birth date, or address obtained from another source. This can make stolen data considerably more useful for identity theft.
A criminal may have enough information to convincingly impersonate a victim when communicating with a financial institution or other organization. Stolen information may also be used to create convincing phishing communications designed to obtain additional credentials directly from the victim.
Criminals May Attempt To Take Over Existing Accounts
Social Security numbers can also become part of account-takeover schemes. Criminals may use personal information to attempt to satisfy identity-verification questions, reset credentials, or convince customer-service personnel that they are the legitimate account holder. If successful, they may gain access to financial accounts, online services, or other sensitive systems.
This is particularly concerning when a breach exposes several categories of information belonging to the same individual. Victims should therefore pay attention not only to newly opened accounts but also to unusual activity involving accounts they already have.
Medical Identity Theft Can Create Additional Problems
When a breach involves healthcare information along with Social Security numbers, medical identity theft can become another concern.
A criminal may attempt to use someone else’s identity to obtain healthcare services, benefits, prescriptions, or insurance payments. Medical identity theft can create financial problems, but it may also result in inaccurate information becoming associated with the victim’s records.
Healthcare data breaches can be particularly serious because compromised records may contain multiple sensitive identifiers within the same dataset.
A Stolen Social Security Number Can Create Long-Term Risk
Credit card numbers can be canceled. Passwords can be changed. Social Security numbers are different.
That distinction is important when assessing the consequences of a breach. A victim may take reasonable protective measures after receiving a breach notification and still remain concerned about later misuse of the exposed information.
Criminals also do not necessarily have to use stolen information immediately. Compromised personal information may remain useful well after the initial cybersecurity incident.
For plaintiffs, the length and seriousness of that risk may become relevant to the circumstances surrounding a claim, although the damages legally recoverable depend on the applicable law and facts of the individual case.
When A Company May Face A Data Breach Lawsuit
The occurrence of a data breach does not automatically establish that every affected individual has a successful lawsuit. Data breach litigation is highly fact-specific, and applicable federal and state laws can differ significantly.
Important questions may include what security measures the organization maintained, whether known vulnerabilities were addressed, what information was compromised, how long unauthorized access continued, when the company discovered the incident, when affected individuals were notified, and what harm followed.
We may also examine whether the organization retained information it no longer needed, failed to properly control access to sensitive records, or failed to implement reasonable safeguards appropriate for the information it possessed.
When hundreds, thousands, or millions of people are affected by the same incident, litigation may be pursued on behalf of a proposed class. Other circumstances may support individual or coordinated claims.
Damages After Social Security Number Exposure
The damages available in a data breach lawsuit depend on the applicable law, the circumstances of the breach, and the harm a plaintiff can establish.
Some victims experience unauthorized accounts, fraudulent transactions, damaged credit, tax problems, identity theft, or other measurable financial losses. People may also spend considerable time investigating suspicious activity, contacting financial institutions, disputing fraudulent accounts, replacing compromised credentials, and attempting to restore their identity.
Certain statutes may provide additional remedies when their requirements are satisfied. Whether a particular type of loss or future risk is legally compensable must be evaluated under the laws governing the claim.
For this reason, we examine each case based on the actual information exposed and the consequences experienced by the affected person rather than assuming that every breach produces identical damages.
What To Do After Learning Your Social Security Number Was Exposed
A breach notice involving a Social Security number should be taken seriously. Keep the notification and other communications concerning the incident. These documents can help establish what information was compromised and what the organization has disclosed about the breach.
Consider reviewing credit reports for unfamiliar activity and using available protections such as a credit freeze or fraud alert when appropriate. Preserve records of suspicious transactions, fraudulent applications, collection notices, credit-monitoring expenses, communications with creditors, and time spent addressing problems related to the incident.
Documentation can become particularly important if stolen information is later misused.
Affected individuals should also be cautious about follow-up phishing attempts. Criminals may use information obtained through a breach to create emails, text messages, or telephone calls that appear legitimate in an attempt to obtain additional information.
Holding Companies Accountable For Failure To Protect Sensitive Data
Companies that collect Social Security numbers are handling information that can have serious consequences for the people to whom it belongs. When inadequate cybersecurity practices contribute to the exposure of that information, affected individuals deserve to know what happened and whether they have legal rights.
Our cybersecurity lawyers represent employees, customers, patients, consumers, and other plaintiffs affected by data breaches throughout the United States. We investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident, evaluate the applicable laws, assess the harm suffered by affected individuals, and pursue appropriate claims against responsible parties.
If you received notice that your Social Security number or other sensitive personal information was compromised in a data breach, please complete our secure web form. We offer free, confidential consultations to individuals throughout the United States and can review the circumstances of the breach and potential legal options.
Contact Our National Data Breach Lawyers
When a company loses control of Social Security numbers, the consequences can extend far beyond the date of the original cybersecurity incident. Identity theft, fraudulent accounts, tax problems, credit damage, and other forms of misuse can impose serious financial and personal burdens on affected individuals.
Our national cybersecurity lawyers represent plaintiffs across the United States in data breach and privacy litigation. We work to determine how sensitive information was compromised, whether responsible organizations failed to adequately protect it, and what legal remedies may be available to affected employees, customers, patients, consumers, and other individuals.
If your Social Security number or other personal information was exposed in a data breach, you may have legal rights. If your data was used unlawfully or exposed, please fill out our secure web form or call us at 888-913-2318 for a free consultation. We represent plaintiffs throughout the United States and can review the breach, the information that was compromised, the harm you have experienced, and whether you may have grounds to pursue a claim.
