After a data breach, read the notice to find out what information was exposed. Change the affected password and any reused or similar passwords, turn on multi-factor authentication, and use credit protections if Social Security or other identity data was exposed. Treat follow-up messages cautiously: contact the company through a website or phone number you independently know is real.
What should I do after a data breach?
- Read the notice. Identify what was exposed—such as a password, Social Security number, payment details, or other personal information. Your next steps depend on the data involved.
- Change exposed passwords. Update the password for the affected account and every other account where you used the same password or a close variation.
- Turn on multi-factor authentication (MFA). Prioritize the breached account, your email, and financial accounts. Email is especially important because password-reset links often arrive there.
- Protect credit and identity information if relevant. If your Social Security number was exposed, get free credit reports and look for accounts you do not recognize. Use IdentityTheft.gov for steps tailored to the information involved.
- Verify any follow-up message independently. Do not use unexpected links or phone numbers in a text or email. Find the company’s contact details through a source you already trust.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) advises people who receive a breach notice to “act quickly to protect yourself.” Its data-breach guidance outlines these first steps.
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Should I change my passwords?
Change the password on the breached service, then change it anywhere else you reused that password or a close variant. You do not need to change unrelated passwords solely because another service had a breach, but each account should have its own unique password.
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How should I secure my accounts with MFA?
Enable MFA wherever it is available, particularly on email, financial accounts, and the breached service. MFA adds a second verification step beyond a password. If a service offers a choice, an authenticator app or security key is a stronger option than a code sent by text or email. Check that your specific services support the method you want to use.
Should I sign up for credit monitoring?
If the breached organization offers free credit monitoring or identity-theft insurance, the FTC advises taking advantage of the offer. Monitoring can help you spot changes or possible misuse in your credit files, but it does not block someone from opening a new account. If your Social Security number was exposed, also order free credit reports and review them for unfamiliar accounts.
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Monitoring, a credit freeze, and a fraud alert serve different purposes:
| Option | What it does | Practical details |
|---|---|---|
| Credit monitoring | Helps detect changes or possible misuse in credit files. | Take the breached organization’s free offer if available. It is detection, not a block on new accounts. |
| Credit freeze | Blocks new creditors from accessing your credit report to open a new account while the freeze is active. | Free. Contact Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Temporarily lift the freeze when a legitimate credit check is needed. |
| Initial fraud alert | Asks businesses to verify your identity before opening new credit. | Free. Contact one bureau; it must notify the other two. Lasts one year and can be renewed. |
| Extended fraud alert | Asks businesses to take extra steps to verify your identity when opening new credit. | Free for people who experienced identity theft and have an FTC identity theft report or police report. Lasts seven years, subject to renewal requirements. |
See the FTC’s credit freeze and fraud alert guidance for how to contact the bureaus and manage these protections. A freeze addresses new credit accounts; it does not stop every form of identity theft or prevent misuse of existing accounts. If bank or card details were exposed or misused, contact the financial institution through its known official channel.
Should I freeze my credit?
A freeze is a useful free option if you want to block new creditors from accessing your credit report while it is in place. You must place it separately with all three nationwide credit bureaus. It can affect a legitimate credit check, so you may need to lift it temporarily when applying for credit, renting a home, seeking a job, or buying insurance.
A fraud alert is a different free option: it asks businesses to verify your identity before granting new credit. You can request an initial alert from one bureau, which must notify the other two. If you experienced identity theft and have an FTC identity theft report or police report, an extended alert may be available for seven years, subject to renewal requirements.
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Is this breach text message real?
You cannot tell whether a message is genuine just because it names a company involved in a breach. Unexpected messages that create urgency, claim suspicious activity or a payment problem, ask you to confirm personal details, mention an unfamiliar invoice, or include an unsolicited link are common phishing warning signs.
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- Do not click a link or attachment in an unexpected message.
- Look up the company’s website or phone number independently and contact it there. The FTC’s advice is: “If the answer is ‘Yes,’ contact the company using a phone number or website you know is real — not the information in the email.”
- Do not provide passwords, payment details, or personal information through a link you did not expect.
For more warning signs, see the FTC’s guide to recognizing and avoiding phishing scams.
What if I clicked the link or gave away information?
Take action based on what you shared or downloaded. If you entered account credentials and can still sign in, change that password immediately, change it on accounts where you reused it, and turn on two-factor authentication. If you are locked out, use the provider’s account recovery process.
- Shared a Social Security number or other sensitive identity details: Follow the steps at IdentityTheft.gov.
- Shared payment information: Contact your bank or payment provider through its official contact path.
- Downloaded a file or app: Update your device’s security software, run a scan, and remove any problems it identifies.
- Think the scammer accessed an account: Secure that account and related accounts as soon as possible; use account recovery if you cannot log in.
The FTC’s scam-response guidance provides additional steps for different types of loss or exposure.
Quick Recap
How do I report a scam text or email?
- Forward phishing texts to 7726 (SPAM).
- Forward phishing emails to [email protected].
- Report the attempt to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- If someone is using your personal information for identity theft, use IdentityTheft.gov for a recovery plan.
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