Car Buyers Beware: Hackers Stole Millions of Personal Details
In a recent cyberattack, hackers managed to steal sensitive personal information from over 5.6 million Americans. The data, which included Social Security numbers, addresses, and dates of birth, was taken from a company called 700Credit. This company helps car dealerships check credit scores.
How the Breach Happened
The breach occurred because one of 700Credit's partners was hacked in July but didn't inform the company immediately. Hackers exploited this weakness to gain access to 700Credit's system, finding a flaw that allowed them to extract consumer data without proper checks.
For more than two weeks, the hackers sent millions of requests to the system. Although 700Credit shut down the vulnerable part of their system, the attackers had already stolen about 20% of the data from May to October 2025.
What Was Stolen?
The stolen information included:
- Full names
- Home addresses
- Social Security numbers
- Dates of birth
The breach did not affect 700Credit's internal network or the dealerships' systems.
Impact and Response
- 700Credit works with over 21,000 dealerships in different sectors.
- The breach affected about 18,000 of these dealerships.
- The company is sending letters to affected consumers and offering free credit monitoring and identity theft protection for 12 to 24 months.
Expert Advice
Michigan's Attorney General, Dana Nessel, advised people to take steps to protect their information, including:
- Placing a credit freeze
- Using monitoring services to prevent fraud
700Credit's Actions
- No signs of identity theft or fraud related to the breach have been found.
- The company has notified the FBI and filed a report with the Federal Trade Commission.
- Security improvements have been made, and a helpline has been set up for questions.
What You Can Do
- Check your credit reports regularly.
- Free weekly credit reports are available from the three major credit bureaus through AnnualCreditReport.com.
Key Takeaway
This incident highlights the importance of strong security measures and open communication between companies and their partners. Even companies with good security can be at risk if their partners do not disclose breaches quickly.
