Warning for consumers: Another massive data theft at AT&T – how you can protect yourself

The cellphone numbers of nearly all AT&T customers were exposed in a massive data breach at the telecommunications giant, the company announced on Friday. I spoke with AT&T and FBI spokespeople about the risk to consumers.

The following people were compromised:
• Almost all AT&T customer cell phone numbers from May 1 to October 31, 2022.
• The number of wireless carrier customers who used AT&T’s network during this period.
• Phone logs of everyone who called or texted these customers.
• What AT&T calls a “very small number” of customers who made calls or sent text messages on January 2, 2023.

And while AT&T says it has not disclosed the contents of your phone calls or text messages, one expert told NBC News that this type of metadata can pose a major national security risk.

There are many publicly available tools that thieves can use to link names and phone numbers. And your metadata can easily build a picture of your daily life – where you work, who you talk to most often, where you sleep every night.

In an email to me Friday afternoon, the FBI acknowledged the potential national security threat and wrote, among other things: “In evaluating the nature of the violation, all parties discussed a possible delay in public reporting under Item 1.05(c) of the SEC Rules due to potential risks to national security and/or public safety.”

An AT&T spokesperson confirmed to me via email that the company began notifying affected customers via text message and email on Friday morning. The spokesperson provided the following information:

• Only open text messages or emails from people you know and trust.
• Never share personal information via text message or email with people you don’t know.
• Never click on a link in a text message or email from an unknown sender, even if you recognize a company name or logo. Instead, go directly to the company’s website.

The theft of AT&T’s call logs occurred in April, just a month after another theft at AT&T that involved theft of customers’ Social Security numbers, among other things. Analysts who spoke to NBC News fear that thieves could combine the information stolen in that theft with other theft attempts to steal your identity.

You should consider freezing your credit score with all three agencies (Experian, Equifax, and Transunion). This is now free and can be done as many times as you like. Some people worry about the hassle because you have to freeze your credit score before you can open a new account. But now federal law requires the agencies to freeze your credit score within an hour if you freeze it online or over the phone. You can freeze your credit score online.