Everyone in Missouri May Have Had Social Security Number Stolen

This is the sort of data breach that should bring a chill to anyone. There are multiple reports that it's very possible every resident in Missouri has had their social security number stolen and the sources saying this are very reputable.

I first saw this report on Yahoo News. The revelation of massive potential identity theft has come to light thanks to a class-action lawsuit shared by Bloomberg Law. Here's the simple explanation of what is alleged to have happened. A hacker group known as USDoD claims they stole 2.9 billion (yes, that's billion with a "B") social security numbers which means they may have taken the social security number of virtually every Missourian and the rest of America, too.

Here's how it allegedly happened. There's a background check company called National Public Data which gathers information from third-party sites and combines them into reports. The lawsuit claims that individuals did not provide the data voluntarily, but it was gathered without consent.

The social security numbers were reportedly listed for sale online which means these digital villains could potentially steal identities especially if combined with email addresses and other personal information, much of which is easily findable online.

The conclusion is that everyone in Missouri should keep a close eye on their credit reports and consider a freeze through the major credit bureaus if they believe their information has been compromised. That's the kind of decision that should only be made with consultation from a professional.

Check out the full disturbing report from Bloomberg Law for yourself to determine if you think your information is at risk.