Cyber & Technical Scams
Fake Data Breach Notification
Phishing emails disguised as legitimate data breach notifications that trick you into entering credentials on fake "identity protection" or "password reset" sites.
Reported Losses
Part of $3 billion in business email compromise (2024)
Primary Targets
Anyone with email, employees of breached companies
Last Updated
2026-01-07
Also Known As
Breach Phishing
How Scammers Contact You
How This Scam Works
Scammers exploit real (or fabricated) data breaches to trick you into giving up credentials.
**How it works:** 1. Major data breach makes news (or scammer fabricates one) 2. You receive "official" email: "Your data was compromised in [Company] breach" 3. Email urges immediate action: "Reset your password" or "Claim free credit monitoring" 4. Link goes to convincing fake site that captures your credentials 5. Scammers now have your real login info
**Variations:** - Fake password reset page - Phony credit monitoring signup - Fraudulent identity protection service - Fake settlement claim portal
**Timing is key:** Scammers send these during real breach news cycles when people are primed to expect such emails.
Red Flags to Watch For
- ⚠️Email about breach you haven't heard about from the company directly
- ⚠️Urgent deadline to "secure your account"
- ⚠️Link doesn't go to company's official website
- ⚠️Asks for more information than needed (SSN, full credit card)
- ⚠️Generic greeting rather than your name
- ⚠️Email comes from lookalike domain
- ⚠️Grammar or formatting errors
- ⚠️Threatens account closure if you don't act
📝 Real Victim Account
"After the LastPass breach was announced, I got an email saying I needed to reset my master password immediately or my vault would be deleted. The site looked exactly like LastPass. I entered my old master password to create a new one. The scammers now had my real master password and access to everything."
— KrebsOnSecurity Reader Report
How to Protect Yourself
- 1Don't click links in breach notification emails
- 2Go directly to the company's official website to check for breach info
- 3Verify breach announcements through news sources
- 4Real breach notifications rarely require immediate action
- 5Check the sender's email domain carefully
- 6When in doubt, call the company using their official number
- 7Be suspicious during major breach news cycles
🆘 What to Do If You're a Victim
- 1If you entered credentials, change that password immediately
- 2Enable 2FA on the compromised account
- 3Change the password anywhere you reused it
- 4Monitor the account for unauthorized activity
- 5Report the phishing email to the impersonated company
- 6Report to FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov
- 7Mark as spam and delete
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📚 Sources & References
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