Verizon data breach affects prepaid customers

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Verizon data breach overview: 

• Who: Verizon alerted an undisclosed amount of its prepaid customers that their accounts may have been compromised in a data breach. 
• Why: The data breach led to a third party actor using the last four digits of on-file credit cards to conduct SIM-swapping attacks. 
• Where: Consumers nationwide use Verizon. 

Verizon warned an undisclosed number of its prepaid customers that an unauthorized third party accessed their accounts and used their exposed partial credit card info to conduct SIM-swapping attacks. 

The Verizon data breach occurred between Oct. 6 and Oct. 10, during which time a third party actor used the last four digits of credit cards to make automatic payments, according to an alert Verizon sent to its prepaid customers earlier this week. 

“Using the last four digits of that credit card, the third party was able to gain access to your Verizon account and may have processed an unauthorized SIM card change on the prepaid line that received the SMS linking to this notice,” Verizon says in the notice.

Verizon reassured its prepaid customers, however, that the company reversed any SIM changes and that the data breach did not expose full credit card numbers, only the last four digits. 

Wireless carrier ‘moved quickly’ to secure accounts after Verizon data breach

The wireless carrier says it “moved quickly” to secure accounts upon discovering the data breach and that it no longer believes any unauthorized account access is occurring.

Verizon says it has also reset the Account Security Codes (PINs) for an disclosed amount of its prepaid customers in what it called “an abundance of caution.” 

In addition to the last four digits of credit card numbers, the threat actors may have also accessed telephone numbers, names, price plans, billing addresses and other private information, according to the Verizon data breach notice. 

Verizon advises its prepaid customers to set a new Verizon PIN code and change their passwords and security question to further safeguard their accounts from any potential future attacks. 

Consumers have filed a number of class action lawsuits against Verizon, along with fellow wireless carrier T-Mobile, this year over allegations revolving around service, billing and accessibility. 

Did you have your personal information compromised in the Verizon data breach? Let us know in the comments! 

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