4.4 Million TransUnion Customers’ Personal Information Exposed in Data Breach: See if You’re Affected

Credit reporting agency TransUnion has disclosed a data breach that compromised the personal information of more than 4.4 million customers across the United States. 

The breach was first revealed in a filing with Maine’s attorney general’s office, which noted that hackers gained unauthorized access to a third-party application used by TransUnion’s consumer support operations on July 28.

This leaves TransUnion’s customers with more questions than answers. Below, we review what to know about the TransUnion data breach, steps you can take to protect yourself, and your legal options.

What Was Exposed in the TransUnion Breach?

While TransUnion initially downplayed the incident, claiming that “no credit information was accessed,” later disclosures filed with the Texas attorney general’s office confirmed that the stolen data included:

• Names
• Dates of birth
• Social Security numbers (SSNs)
   

The Social Security Number is among the most sensitive pieces of personally identifiable information (PII) a consumer has, and it can be used to commit identity theft, fraud, and other long-term financial crimes.

How Can the Information in a Data Breach Be Used?

TransUnion is one of the three major credit reporting agencies in the U.S., storing financial data for over 260 million Americans. Because the company is entrusted with such critical personal and financial information, a breach of this scale raises serious concerns about data security.

Even if financial account details were not accessed, the stolen information, particularly Social Security numbers, can be just as damaging. Criminals often use this type of PII to:

• Open fraudulent credit accounts
• Apply for loans or benefits in someone else’s name
• File fake tax returns to claim refunds
• Engage in other forms of financial fraud
  
   

A Troublesome Trend in Failed Security

This latest incident is part of a growing trend of large-scale data breaches across major industries. Recently, companies like Google, Allianz Life, Cisco, and Workday also reported breaches involving customer data stored in Salesforce-hosted cloud databases. Google has attributed its breach to an extortion group known as ShinyHunters, though it’s still unclear who is behind the TransUnion attack or whether ransom demands were made.

What You Should Do if You’re Affected

If you are one of the millions of Americans impacted by this breach, there are steps you can take to protect yourself:

1. Monitor your credit reports and accounts – Look for unfamiliar accounts or suspicious activity.
2. Set up fraud alerts or credit freezes – This can make it harder for identity thieves to open accounts in your name.
3. Be wary of phishing attempts – Cybercriminals may use your stolen data to craft convincing scam emails or calls.
4. Document everything – Keep records of suspicious activity and any communications you receive related to the breach.
5. Contact Morgan & Morgan – If you believe the data leak has caused you damages, discuss your legal options with our team with a free case evaluation.
   
    

How Morgan & Morgan Can Help

At Morgan & Morgan, we understand the devastating impact data breaches can have on individuals and families. If your personal information was stolen in the TransUnion breach, you may be entitled to compensation. Companies that fail to properly protect consumer data must be held accountable.

Our attorneys have experience representing victims of large-scale data breaches and are committed to fighting for justice on behalf of those whose privacy has been compromised.

If you believe you were affected by the TransUnion data breach, don’t wait. Contact Morgan & Morgan today for a free, no-obligation case evaluation.