Data breach
Experian (South Africa) data breach
1,284,637 accounts · breached August 19, 2020
What happened
In August 2020, Experian South Africa suffered a data breach which exposed the personal information of tens of millions of individuals. Only 1.3M of the records contained email addresses, whilst most contained government issued identity numbers, names, addresses, occupations and employers, amongst other person information.
What data leaked
- Email addresses
- Employers
- Government issued IDs
- Names
- Occupations
- Phone numbers
What to do if you had an account
- Turn on two-step sign-in. Enable two-factor authentication where the service offers it, preferably with an authenticator app or a passkey. A leaked password alone is then not enough to get in.
- Expect targeted phishing. Leaked contact details are used to write convincing fake messages that mention the breached company or your real name. Do not click links in unexpected emails or texts about this account; go to the site by typing its address.
- Watch for scam calls and SIM swaps. Be suspicious of calls and texts that claim to be from your bank or a courier. Ask your mobile operator for a port-out or SIM-change PIN if it offers one.
- Guard against identity fraud. Identity documents and dates of birth cannot be changed like a password. Consider a credit freeze or fraud alert where your country offers one, and be wary of anyone who 'verifies' you using those details.
Check your email at haveibeenpwned.com
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