IDScan.net now linked to 150 million leaked driver’s license records

IDScan.net has now confirmed a data security incident that researchers tie to data allegedly sold through Nexus, the dark web service that has since gone offline. Those researchers say the material points to a reported exposure of more than 150 million U.S. and Canadian driver’s license records.

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They say the cache included names, license numbers, other government ID numbers, digital scans, about 10 million additional ID cards, and roughly 3 million travel documents. Nexus operators also claimed they’d been siphoning off data for more than a year.

If a driver’s license is your main form of ID, take this seriously. You can change a password. You can’t really do that with a driver’s license.

The permanent details tied to a license can be used to impersonate you, open bank accounts, apply for credit cards or loans, redirect your mail, make fake IDs, or piece together synthetic identities that can stick around for years.

IDScan.net says it’s cooperating with federal law enforcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is reportedly investigating. Class-action lawsuits have already been filed. Even so, you still don’t know exactly when the breach started, how many people were affected, or whether every leaked record came from the same source.

If you think you might be affected, place a credit freeze and a fraud alert, keep an eye on your credit reports and bank accounts, request your driving record, run a background check on yourself, and file a police report.