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NBC News
2 hours ago
- NBC News
Social Security number leaked? Chances are, a criminal is already trying to use it
Data breaches that expose the personal information of millions of people can have very real consequences for individuals, most notably: identity theft. A new study found that the more of a person's personal information is easily accessible to criminals on the dark web, the likelier it is that that person will be a target for criminals. The odds skyrocket if the information includes the person's Social Security number, which is usually necessary for financial applications like opening a bank account, applying for a credit card or filing tax returns, all of which are common targets for fraudsters. The findings, published Monday by SentiLink, a company that monitors customer data for fraud on behalf of finance companies, are intuitive. But they are believed to be the first of their kind showing a clear correlation between the robust cybercriminal trade of people's identities and real-world attempts where criminals try to commit fraud against those victims. David Maimon, SentiLink's head of fraud insight, told NBC News he conducted the study by comparing three sets of data from people whose information is available online. For a baseline list of people whose names and addresses were available online, he used publicly available voter registration records. For a set of people whose names and addresses — but not Social Security numbers — were widely traded among criminals, he took names off stolen checks from a ring of check fraud thieves that operated on Telegram. For a list of people whose names, addresses and Social Security numbers were all widely traded among cybercriminals, he downloaded a database of around 100,000 victims, cobbled together from various hacks and repeatedly traded on the dark web since 2021. Maimon then compared more than 2,000 people from those datasets with SentiLink's internal records of attempted identity theft to see how often each of those people had been targeted. The results were dramatic. Only 2.1% of the people from voter registration forms had been targeted by identity thieves. Of those whose names were found in the stolen check ring, 12.1% had been targeted. But nearly all people in the 2021 database with Social Security numbers — 97% — had been victims of attempted identity theft, Maimon found. Data breaches have become increasingly common, to the point where most Americans' information has been repeatedly stolen. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission received 1.1 million claims of identity theft in 2024, though that is believed to be a severe undercount of the complete number of victims. Even children often have their Social Security number stolen, and credit monitoring services rarely help victims much. According to statistics provided to NBC News by the nonprofit Identity Theft Resource Center, there were 1,857 new data breaches in 2024 that included Americans' Social Security numbers. While Social Security numbers are routinely hacked, it's often impossible for a victim to know how widely their information has been shared — a key component of SentiLink's findings. Not all breaches are equal, and cybercriminals often sell hacked data only to the highest bidder to keep it more exclusive. When a person's information does become widely repackaged and repeatedly traded between criminals, they are targeted by thieves repeatedly for a longer period of time, Maimon found. The best course of action, Maimon said, is for people to freeze their credit ratings with the three major credit agencies and to monitor their ChexSystems Consumer Score to see if anyone has opened bank accounts in their name.
NBC News
3 hours ago
- NBC News
A Christian college ministry enables a sex offender and Texas Democrats flee to Illinois: Morning Rundown
A Christian college ministry repeatedly failed to stop a convicted sex offender. Texas Democrats flee to Illinois in a showdown with Republicans over redistricting. And an ex-football coach launches a Senate bid in Georgia. Here's what to know today. How a Christian college ministry glorified and enabled a sex offender Daniel Savala, a revered Pentecostal missionary, challenged his young followers to live for Jesus. In a 2023 confession, he revealed religion was just 'a cover' to get them undressed. In a video filmed by his lawyer, Savala described how, for decades, he gained the trust of college students who sought spiritual guidance to sexually exploit them. He would touch their penises and pressure them to touch his, all under the guise of bringing them closer to Jesus. 'He would say things like, 'Hey, you know it's OK to masturbate,'' said Joseph Cleveland, adding that Savala groomed and sexually abused him for a decade beginning in 2004, when he was 15. ''Because we're brothers, we can do it together.'' The pastors who shepherded hundreds of high school and college students to Savala's home were part of Chi Alpha, a Christian ministry that evangelizes on university campuses. The group is run by the Assemblies of God, the world's largest Pentecostal denomination. Savala's ministry collapsed in early 2023 when several men came forward to accuse him and some of his protégés of sexual abuse and exploitation, leading to Savala's arrest and charges for at least six others. As he awaits trial, Assemblies of God leaders have tried to distance themselves, maintaining that Savala was not employed by Chi Alpha and was never credentialed to preach with them. But an NBC News investigation shows that Savala was deeply entrenched in Chi Alpha, hailed by many as a brilliant theologist. The reporting reveals that Assemblies of God leaders — all the way up to the denomination's national superintendent — were warned repeatedly about Savala's troubling history but did not cut off his influence. These failures allowed more children and young men to be abused, the reporting shows. Ministry officials defended Savala in 2012 when was charged with sexually abusing boys as a youth minister in the 1990s. In the decade that followed, multiple whistleblowers tried to alert Assemblies of God that Chi Alpha was exposing students to a sex offender. Again and again, they were dismissed or ignored, NBC News found. Here's what else we know. Assemblies of God church leaders allowed a children's pastor to continue preaching for years after he was accused of sexually abusing girls. Texas Democrats arrive in Illinois to deny GOP a quorum on redistricting In an extraordinary move to counter Republican redistricting in Texas, dozens of Democrats in the state House of Representatives headed to Illinois to deny a necessary quorum for the GOP to move forward with those efforts. Texas Democrats filed off buses and Ubers into a crammed county party headquarters Sunday night, standing alongside Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker. Pritzker met with the Texas caucus late last month and has directed his staff to provide logistical support for their stay. Last week, Texas Republicans proposed a new congressional map that would give the GOP a path to pick up five seats in next year's midterm elections. The move came after public pressure from Trump as he works to keep a majority in Congress. Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu said that he believes about 57 Democrats have left the state, with the bulk staying in Illinois for at least the immediate future. Others are in Boston and Albany, N.Y. 'We will not be complicit in the destruction of our own communities. We're not here to play political games, we're here to demand an end to this corrupt process,' Wu said. In response to their actions, Gov. Greg Abbott threatened to try to remove the Democrats from the state Legislature and said some of them may even be 'felons.' They also face the risk of a $500-a-day fine. More politics news: Federal officials are investigating former special counsel Jack Smith after prominent Republicans alleged his investigations into then-presidential candidate Donald Trump amounted to illegal political activity. As Congress prepares for summer recess, Republicans will try to sell the unpopular 'big, beautiful bill' in their home states, while Democrats are working on their big brand problem. The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History will once again mention Trump in an exhibit about presidential impeachments. Republican Derek Dooley launches Senate bid to win Ossoff's seat Former college football coach and attorney Derek Dooley launched his bid this morning for the U.S. Senate in Georgia, a prime pick-up opportunity for Republicans next year. Georgia Republicans hope Dooley can win back the seat from Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff. It's a major target for the GOP to maintain or expand its slim Senate majority, especially given that Democrats have overperformed in the traditionally red state. Gov. Brian Kemp was pushing Dooley, whose father was a University of Georgia legend, to get into the race. Dooley has hired some of the governor's advisers to consult on his new bid, a source familiar with the campaign launch said. Dooley hopes to bridge the gap between the Kemp wing of the party and MAGA loyalists after Trump sparred publicly with Kemp and other Georgia officials who refused to challenge his 2020 election loss in the state. 'Unlike Ossoff, I'll work with President Trump to implement his agenda, support his Administration, and move our country forward,' Dooley said in a statement. 'I'm not part of the political establishment, and I haven't spent my life climbing the D.C. political ladder.' died at 79, just days before her birthday. This cookware manufacturer is expecting to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in steel and aluminum tariffs this year. Smoke from Canadian wildfires is causing unhealthy air quality across the Midwest and Northeast. Staff Pick: China's swimming prodigy draws praise and a note of caution Swimmer Yu Zidi, 12, has become a global sensation with her history-making race times and her triumph as the youngest-ever medalist at the World Aquatics Championships. But fans and observers at home in China are cautioning against overhyping the young star. They warn that fame can lead to too much pressure, 'toxic' sports fandom and public scrutiny. Our story by Peter Guo and Eve Qiao not only shines light on a talented young athlete, but it raises concerns about the stress that comes with pushing for medals. It's an important reminder that we should take steps to separate achievement from identity, giving young people like Zidi the chance to 'splash slowly into a wave,' as one Chinese outlet said. — Kayla Hayempour, associate platforms editor NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified If you love to pamper your fur baby, consider giving your pup a dental chew. NBC Select's editors rounded up top picks, approved by the veterinary experts. Plus, here's everything vets want you to know about dog food and the best brands to try.
NBC News
20 hours ago
- NBC News
Soulja Boy arrested on charge of possession of firearm in Los Angeles
Rapper and record producer Soulja Boy was arrested early Sunday morning in Los Angeles and charged with possession of a firearm during a traffic stop, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The musician, whose real name is DeAndre Cortez Way, was stopped by police at around 2:35 a.m. local time on the intersection of Melrose and Genesee avenues, police said. "A passenger was detained and police arrested DeAndre Cortez Way for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm," the LAPD said, which is a felony. Online records show that the 35-year-old was arrested at around 2:50 a.m. It is not clear if he has since been released, or where he is being held. NBC News has reached out to a representative for Way. Earlier this year, Way was found liable for sexually assaulting and physically and emotionally abusing a former assistant after a three-week trial in California. A jury awarded the woman $4 million in damages. The woman had originally filed the suit in 2021. Rickey Ivie, an attorney for the musician at the time, said that the evidence did not support the verdict. "It is unfortunate that aspersions and misperceptions of a culture were allowed to influence the trial," Ivie said. "Mr. Way fully intends to pursue his post-trial remedies and to fight for a just result in this case.' This is not the only time a woman has come forward with accusations of assault against Way. Months later in 2021, another woman who claimed to be dating the rapper filed a lawsuit against him alleging physical and sexual abuse. Another ex-girlfriend filed a lawsuit against Way in 2020, alleging assault, battery and false imprisonment. The artist rose to fame in 2007 when his debut single "Crank That (Soulja Boy)" hit No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
