How can you tell if your social security number has been taken during a massive information fraud?

Millions of people affected by breach of National Public Data
A massive security lapse at National Public Data resulted in the theft a large array of personal information — including social security number — for almost all Americans. There’s no way to stop the theft from happening, but you can check to see if your data has been compromised. National Public Data, an organization that specializes in background checks, has confirmed a major data breach. Hackers have infiltrated the database and stolen personal information such as names, addresses, SSNs, etc. The 277GB database can be downloaded from a notorious cybercriminal website, making it an invaluable resource for identity thieves. The breach is massive with 272 millions unique social security numbers, and 600,000,000 phone numbers. The breach is twice as big as the infamous Equifax hack in 2017. Two cybersecurity companies have stepped in to help people determine if their personal information has been exposed. Atlas Privacy Data Corporation created a website called npdbreach.com that allows users to check whether their SSN, telephone number, or name, and ZIP code, are included in a breached database. The site does not store searches by users, which ensures privacy during investigations. NPDbreach.comThe firm claims that 20% of breach records were legitimate, but warns not all information was accurate. Pentester has launched a website at npd.pentester.com. The platform allows for a more detailed look by revealing the user’s SSN, date-of-birth, complete address and phone number. This can help users confirm that the information belongs to them, but it also exposes partial data which others could exploit. Pentester says that they have limited the amount of data displayed on the website to strike a balance between providing users with useful information and protecting their privacy. PentesterDespite its magnitude, National Public Data has only acknowledged that 1.3 million users were affected. This seems low considering the amount of data leaked. You can protect yourself by placing a free fraud alert and credit freeze with the major credit bureaus – Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. A freeze can stop unauthorized individuals from opening new accounts under your name.