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A massive data breach involving IDScan has exposed driver’s license information on a scale that should get consumers’ attention. The company confirmed on Sept. 4 that an unauthorized third party may have accessed or copied customer information stored in its cloud, including full names and driver’s license or other government-issued identification numbers.
Later, TechCrunch reported Sept. 10 that a dark-web database contained searchable driver’s license information for more than 150 million people in the United States and Canada, including photos. The FBI is currently investigating the incident.
If your driver’s license information may be part of the breach, you don’t have to wait for confirmed fraud before taking precautions. Here are three steps worth taking now.
If your personal information may have been exposed, Aura can monitor your credit, financial accounts and dark-web activity for signs of suspicious use. Start your 14-day free trial!
How To Check if Your Driver’s License Was Exposed
Because IDScan provides identity-verification services to businesses rather than dealing primarily with consumers, you may not immediately know whether your driver’s license was included in the breach. Watch for an official breach notification from IDScan or a business that used its verification services.
What Should You Do After the Driver’s License Data Breach?
While you can’t undo a data breach, taking fast action can significantly lower your risk of identity theft and financial fraud. Here is a quick snapshot of the most effective steps you can take right now to secure your personal information.
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What To Do |
Why It Matters |
|---|---|
|
Contact your state motor vehicle agency |
Your state may flag or replace the compromised license |
|
Freeze your credit and consider a fraud alert |
Makes fraudulent new credit accounts harder to open |
|
Monitor your identity and financial accounts |
Helps you spot misuse that a credit freeze may not catch |
1. Contact Your DMV About the Compromised Driver’s License
A stolen driver’s license number isn’t something you can change yourself.
The Federal Trade Commission’s IdentityTheft.gov guidance recommends contacting your state motor vehicle agency when driver’s license information is lost or stolen. Depending on the state, officials may be able to flag the license number or recommend applying for a replacement.
Requirements vary by state, so ask your DMV specifically what it recommends for license information exposed in a data breach. Also, getting a replacement card does not necessarily erase every risk associated with information that has already been copied. Your name, license number and address may still be useful in impersonation attempts.
Last year, Dr. Holly Schiff, Psy.D., a licensed clinical psychologist, told Parade that when a scammer gains access to your address, it “can open you up to several risks…and even make you vulnerable to unwanted attention like harassment, [and] spam solicitations.”
2. Freeze Your Credit With All Three Credit Bureaus
A credit freeze is one of the strongest steps you can take after personal information is exposed. The FTC says a freeze prevents new credit accounts from being opened while it is active. It is free to place or lift, does not affect your credit score and remains in effect until you remove it. Just keep in mind that you must contact Equifax, Experian and TransUnion separately to freeze all three credit files.
You can also add a fraud alert. This tells businesses to verify your identity before issuing new credit and lasts one year. Unlike a freeze, you only need to contact one credit bureau; that bureau must notify the other two.
Even IDScan itself is advising affected consumers to consider credit freezes and fraud alerts.
A credit freeze is an important first step, but it won’t catch every form of identity misuse. Aura adds three-bureau credit monitoring, dark-web alerts and financial account monitoring to help you spot suspicious activity sooner.
3. Watch for Signs Someone Is Using Your Identity
Freezing your credit doesn’t mean you can stop paying attention.
The FTC recommends regularly reviewing credit reports, bank statements and bills for activity you don’t recognize. Warning signs can include unfamiliar accounts, unexpected bills, withdrawals you didn’t make or changes to accounts you already have.
Identity monitoring is also useful and can extend that visibility beyond a periodic credit-report check. For example, Aura offers dark-web monitoring, breach alerts and an identity-alert system. All standard plans also include three-bureau credit monitoring and alerts for suspicious activity on checking, savings, utility, and phone accounts.
While no monitoring service can prevent every form of identity theft, it can help you identify suspicious activity sooner so you can respond (before it’s too late).
What if Someone Has Already Used Your Driver’s License Information?
If you discover fraudulent activity, move from prevention to recovery.
IdentityTheft.gov allows victims to report identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission and receive a personalized recovery plan. An FTC Identity Theft Report can also help document the crime when disputing fraudulent accounts and correcting records.
Save copies of breach notices, suspicious bills, credit reports and any correspondence with financial institutions or government agencies. Those records can make it easier to establish what happened.
The IDScan breach is another reminder that the risk of identity theft doesn’t just begin when a credit card number is stolen. Government-issued identification can contain information meant to establish who you are, which makes ongoing monitoring worth considering after a breach of this size.
If you want ongoing help watching for identity theft after the IDScan breach, Aura offers credit and identity monitoring, dark-web alerts and U.S.-based fraud remediation support if something does go wrong. Start your free trial today!