AT&T and Verizon data breach: what happened and what to do
Last reviewed June 22, 2025 · 3 records on file · sources listed below
A U.S. Army soldier has been arrested for allegedly breaching AT&T and Verizon systems, leading to unauthorized access to sensitive information.
If you have an account with AT&T and Verizon, assume the exposed details are circulating. The practical risk today is rarely the leak itself — it is the calls and messages that use those details to sound legitimate.
What we have on file
Every entry below is a catalogued record with its original source. We do not paraphrase beyond what the source reports.
Personal Information · Hacking
Chinese cybercrime syndicate Salt Typhoon hacked into the networks of multiple US carriers and network service providers, including AT&T and Verizon, leading to a major data breach affecting millions of people. The companies failed to disclose information about the hack to all affected customers, notifying only 'high-value' customers.
Personal Information · Hacking
A Chinese hacking group, Salt Typhoon, allegedly hacked multiple U.S. broadband providers, including AT&T and Verizon, compromising sensitive network infrastructure.
What to do
- Change the password anywhere you reused itThe exposure matters most when the same password protects your email, because email is how everything else gets reset.
- Treat every call and text about this breach as a scam until proven otherwiseNo company will ask you for a one-time code, a PIN or a password. Hang up and call the number printed on your card.
- Read your statements for the next three monthsCard fraud usually starts with a small test charge. Catching that one is what stops the large one.
- Give your email account a password nothing else usesIt is the account that can reset all the others, so it is the one worth protecting first.
Questions people ask
Was my data in the AT&T and Verizon breach?
Having an account alone does not confirm exposure. The reliable check is whether your email address appears in the leaked datasets in circulation — that takes seconds and does not require your password.
Is it too late to do anything?
No. Leaked personal details do not expire, and neither does the defence: a unique password on your email, and a fraud alert on your credit file, still work years later.
Will AT&T and Verizon contact me?
They may. But scammers contact people too, using exactly these breach details to sound convincing. Never act on an inbound call or text — call back on a number you already had.