Was It Breached Secria

What to do after a data breach, by the type of data that leaked

Find the line in your letter that says what information was involved. Then do the steps for each item on it, from the FTC's IdentityTheft.gov.1

Select what your letter lists. Checked 28 October 2026 against the sources.

First, for everyone

IdentityTheft.gov's first step for any breach: check, freeze and monitor your credit.1

  1. Get your free credit reports.At AnnualCreditReport.com, from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. If you see an account or debt you don't recognize, contact the company about it. You can check every week for free.1
  2. Freeze your credit.While a freeze is in place, nobody can open a new credit account in your name. It's free to place, and free to lift for a while when you apply for credit.1
  3. Or place a fraud alert.It's free and lasts a year. Contact one of the three bureaus. A business then has to verify your identity before it opens an account in your name.1
  4. Accept free credit monitoring if it's offered.Monitoring usually alerts you when something shows up on your credit reports. If a letter offers it, enroll before its deadline.1

Freeze, alert, monitor: what each one does

They're often mixed up. They aren't the same thing.

A credit freeze

Keeps people from getting into your credit report, so nobody can open a new credit account while it's in place. Free to place and to lift.1

A fraud alert

Makes a business verify your identity before it opens new credit in your name. Free for one year, placed through any one bureau.1

Credit monitoring

Scans your credit reports and usually alerts you when something happens, like a company checking your credit, a new loan or card, or a late payment reported.1

Then, for each type of data

Skip any that your letter doesn't list.

Social Security number

  1. Do the three steps above.An identity thief could try to use the number to open accounts, take out a loan, file taxes or get a job.1
  2. Check your work history.Create a my Social Security account at socialsecurity.gov/myaccount. If you find errors, contact your local SSA office.1
  3. Consider locking your number in E-Verify.At e-verify.gov/mye-verify. The lock stops others using your number to get a job. E-Verify is run by the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration.1
  4. Get an IRS identity protection PIN.The six-digit IP PIN stops anyone else filing a tax return with your Social Security number. It's valid for one calendar year.2

Password or account login

  1. Change the password.Make it long, change the username too if you can, and consider two-factor authentication.1
  2. Change it anywhere you reused it.If you use the same password anywhere else, IdentityTheft.gov says to change that too.1
  3. Can't log in? Contact the company.Ask how to recover or shut down the account. The FTC's ftc.gov/hackedaccount covers email and social media.1

Debit or credit card number

  1. Ask for a new card.Contact your bank or card company on the number on the back of your card or on your statements.1
  2. Check your transactions.If you find charges you didn't make, call the fraud department to get them removed. Update any automatic payments with the new number.1

Bank or investment account

  1. Tell the bank or investment company.IdentityTheft.gov suggests closing the account and opening a new one. Use the number on your statements.1
  2. Check your transactions.Report anything you didn't do to the fraud department, and update automatic payments.1

Driver's license

  1. Report it to your nearest DMV.Find it at usa.gov/state-motor-vehicle-services. The state might flag your license number, or suggest a duplicate.1

Passport

  1. Use the State Department's report.IdentityTheft.gov points to the State Department's lost or stolen passport report, online at travel.state.gov or by phone at 1-877-487-2778.1

Medicare, Medicaid or health insurance

  1. Tell the plan, and order a new card if needed.Medicare: 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). Medicaid: your state office, listed at medicaid.gov. Private insurance: the number on your statements.1
  2. Read your benefit statements.An identity thief could try to use your benefit details to get medical care.1

A child's information

  1. Request a free credit freeze for your child.Each credit bureau has its own instructions.1
  2. Ask each bureau if your child has a credit report.Children generally don't, unless someone is using their information. If one exists, use the bureau's instructions to remove fraudulent accounts.1

Questions people ask

What if someone already used my information?

Report it at IdentityTheft.gov. It creates an FTC Identity Theft Report and a recovery plan for you.1

Can I get a new Social Security number after a breach?

Usually not. IdentityTheft.gov says that in most cases you can't get a new number without evidence that someone is misusing yours, and a new number likely won't solve every problem.1

How do I avoid scams after a data breach?

Don't respond to unexpected calls, texts or emails, even if they name a real agency or a company you use. Contact the company through a website you trust or a number you look up yourself.1

Sources 2
  1. What To Do if Your Information Was Lost or Stolen, or Part of a Data Breach, IdentityTheft.gov, Federal Trade Commission. Read 28 October 2026.
  2. Get an identity protection PIN (IP PIN) (reviewed 4 August 2026), Internal Revenue Service. Read 28 October 2026.

Every step comes from a government source, and every source shows the day we read it. How we check