Massive social media breaches are exposing your private life

Social media data leaks are no joke. When hackers gather large amounts of data—whether through breaches or scraping—they can use it for fraud and theft. Even non-sensitive data can fuel phishing and social engineering attacks and end up for sale on a hacker forum in the internet’s hidden corners.

Major breaches make headlines and often appear in data leak lookup databases, especially if sensitive data like financial information, passport numbers, and home addresses leak. However, non-sensitive data can spread across dark web marketplaces without you knowing. Threat actors can still use this data to steal identities and money.

Identity theft is hard to recover from but easy to prevent. Keeping track of big data leaks and monitoring leak databases can help you spot trouble early.

In this blog post, we’ll show you how to check if your data has been leaked. We’ll also explore some of the biggest social media data leaks in recent years and why even seemingly harmless data can be dangerous.

How social media data breaches happen 

Cybercriminals are constantly finding ways to steal data from social media platforms. Sometimes, they break in through security flaws. Other times, they scrape public information in bulk or take advantage of poorly secured databases. No matter how it happens, once your data is exposed, there’s no way to take it back. And while not every leak involves passwords or bank details, even basic personal information can be used against you in ways you might not expect.

Here’s how social media data ends up in the wrong hands:

1. Hacking and security flaws

Hackers look for weaknesses in social media platforms that let them break in and steal user data. This could be anything from a coding flaw to a misconfigured server. If they succeed, they can grab everything from usernames and email addresses to phone numbers and private messages.

2. Data scraping

Not all data leaks come from hacking. Some attackers use automated tools to scrape publicly available information from social media profiles. While scraping itself isn’t always illegal, cybercriminals abuse it by collecting massive amounts of data—like names, emails, locations, and follower lists—and selling it in bulk. More on this below. 

3. Exposed databases

Sometimes, user data isn’t stolen—it’s just sitting there, unprotected. Social media companies store millions of records in databases, and if those databases aren’t properly secured, anyone can access them. Cybercriminals actively search for these leaks, grabbing personal details without needing to hack anything.

Why are social media data breaches a big deal?

Social media data leaks can lead to real-world consequences, including identity theft, scams, and financial fraud. Even if a breach doesn’t expose passwords or bank details, cybercriminals can still use personal information to cause serious harm.

You can find lots of examples of how data leaks lead to identity theft. Here’s one we found particularly interesting. 

Lynn Beattie discovered eight items had been purchased under her name through an account she never created. Identity thieves had gathered her name, address, and date of birth from various public sources and used that information to open a credit account, create a fake phone number, and commit fraud in her name.

“It was really scary,” Lynn told DevonLive in an interview. “I did not really know how to unpick it all and how to protect my identity in the future.” Beyond the financial impact, identity theft took an emotional toll, leaving Lynn feeling vulnerable and anxious. But while her case was personal, massive social media breaches put millions at risk in one go. 

5 big social media data leaks in recent years

Social media breaches aren’t rare—they keep happening, exposing millions of people to scams, fraud, and identity theft. Once your data is out there, it can be sold, traded, and used in ways you’d never expect. Some of the biggest leaks in recent years have affected major platforms, putting personal details at risk.

Here are some of the biggest breaches to date:

1. “Mother of all breaches”—LinkedIn and Twitter (2024)

In January 2024, one of the biggest data leaks in history exposed a staggering 2.6 billion account records from popular platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, Dropbox, Canva, Telegram, Tencent, and Weibo. But this wasn’t just another breach—it contained usernames, passwords, and email addresses, putting millions of people at risk of identity theft and cyberattacks.

According to the New York Post, experts say it’s the biggest data breach recorded. While much of the information comes from previous breaches, the fact that it was all compiled into one massive database makes it dangerous. With so much personal data in one place, hackers and scammers can easily launch phishing scams, fraud, and other cybercrimes.

Researchers discovered that the leaked database was a shocking 12 terabytes in size, earning it the nickname “Mother of All Breaches.” Even more concerning, it includes records from U.S. and international government organizations, raising serious security concerns.

If your information was included in this breach, it could be at risk—so it’s a good time to check your accounts and take steps to protect yourself.

Facebook’s 2019 data breach

Back in 2019, Facebook was hit by a massive breach exposing the personal information of 533 million users across 157 countries. This wasn’t your average hack—it happened through a technique called “scraping,” where attackers exploited vulnerabilities to pull user data, including phone numbers, email addresses, and other details. 

They found a vulnerability in Facebook’s contact import feature and scraped data from hundreds of millions of accounts. Over half a billion users suddenly had their private information floating around online.

Since this data was collected through scraping—a method that some argue is legal but often violates platforms’ terms of service—this breach falls into a legal gray area. Yet, German courts recently ruled that Facebook users affected can seek compensation without proving specific harm.

According to Forbes, a Meta spokesperson responded to the ruling, saying “Similar claims have already been dismissed 6,000 times by German courts, with a large number of judges ruling that no claims for liability or damages exist. Facebook’s systems were not hacked in this incident, and there was no data breach.”

Instagram data scraping allegations

On November 10th, 2024, a hacker claimed to have stolen data from 489 million Instagram user accounts—about a quarter of the platform’s total users. The hacker is selling it on a cybercriminal forum. Exposed data includes:

• Usernames
• Full names
• Email addresses
• Bios
• Follower counts
• Locations
• Account creation dates

While the hacker insists the data is “freshly scraped,” experts are unsure if it’s real. Cybernews researchers say the sample data looks authentic, but since some email addresses haven’t appeared in past leaks, it’s unclear if this is truly new data or a possible hoax.

If the leak is genuine, millions of users—especially business accounts and influencers — could be at risk of phishing scams, impersonation, and fraud. Meta (Instagram’s parent company) did not respond to the claims. 

While data scraping is a legal gray area, Meta strictly forbids automated data collection and says it has a team dedicated to preventing scraping and removing stolen data from online forums.

Zero-day Twitter data breach (2022)

In 2022, Twitter (now X) suffered a big data breach, exposing the phone numbers and email addresses of 5.5 million accounts. The attack happened in August before Elon Musk took over. By the time the vulnerability was patched, hackers had already exploited it.

Even though Twitter fixed the issue quickly, the damage was done. Once personal data is leaked, cybercriminals can easily download the data, share it on forums, and use it for spear-phishing scams or impersonation.

This breach shows how even small security flaws can have big consequences. It’s a reminder to stay vigilant—once your data is in the wrong hands, you could be in trouble.

Is non-sensitive data still a threat?

Even if a breach only exposes names, emails, or basic social media activity, hackers can use that information to impersonate you, launch phishing attacks, or commit fraud. The more details they have, the easier it is for them to trick you or those around you—sometimes with devastating consequences.

One of the biggest ways hackers gather this type of data is through scraping. Scraping is an automated process where bots extract publicly available information from websites and social media platforms. While scraping itself isn’t always illegal, cybercriminals often abuse it to collect massive amounts of user data, which they can then sell, compile with other breached data, or use for scams.

For example, hackers might scrape names, email addresses, bios, follower lists, and location data from social media profiles. Once combined with leaked information from other breaches, this data becomes even more powerful. Attackers can impersonate you online, craft highly targeted phishing messages, or even guess security questions to access your accounts.

Even if your social media accounts are public, it’s worth reviewing what personal details you’re sharing—because once your information is scraped and stored in a hacker’s database, it’s nearly impossible to remove.

How hackers use scraped data

• Social engineering attacks. Hackers piece together your name, job, interests, and connections to impersonate trusted individuals and craft convincing phishing emails.
• Password guessing & credential stuffing. Public details like birthdates or pet names can help attackers guess passwords or answer security questions. Reused passwords make this even riskier.
• Fake accounts & fraud. Cybercriminals create fake social media profiles using your data, scamming friends, or damaging your reputation.
• Targeted phishing scams. Knowing your job role or recent activities lets attackers send phishing emails that seem highly relevant and believable.
• Selling your data on the dark web. Even non-sensitive data has value in bulk and is often sold to other hackers who combine it with sensitive breaches.
• Bypassing security questions. Personal details like hometowns, schools, or pet names help attackers reset your accounts and lock you out.

How to look up data leaks

With all this information available to criminals, it’s easy for them to target anyone—even if they’ve never been hacked before. If your details have been leaked, you might not even know it. Checking for data leaks can help you spot risks early and take steps to secure your accounts before they’re misused.

1. Use a data leak checker

You can find some online tools that scan certain databases to see if your data has been breached. Sometimes, you can check your email or phone for free but you usually need a subscription or account to check sensitive data or to get a detailed report. 

When using free tools, it’s important to only use tools you trust as cybercriminals can also use fake data leak lookups as traps to get your email or phone number. Always read forums and reviews to ensure you’re not just handing out your phone number to scammers. 

Tips when using online data leak checkers:

• Only use trusted websites. Stick with well-known security tools like Have I Been Pwned or reputable cybersecurity companies. If a site looks shady or asks for too much personal info, skip it.
• Never share sensitive information. Legitimate tools only need your email or phone number to check for breaches. If a website asks for your password, Social Security number, or credit card details—get out of there.
• Avoid tools that require account creation. Most legitimate leak checkers don’t ask you to sign up just to check if your data has been breached. If a site forces you to create an account before showing results, it might harvest your information rather than help you. 

Read more: What can someone do with a stolen Social Security number?

2. Search dark web leak databases

Not all data breaches make headlines. Some leaks circulate in hidden parts of the internet, where cybercriminals trade stolen information. You can find services to scan dark web marketplaces for your data, but most require a subscription. 

How to protect yourself

Some people take years to recover from identity theft. It’s much easier to prevent than it is to bounce back from. Preventing identity theft starts with proactive habits and strong security measures. Here are three key steps you can take:

• Use strong, unique passwords – Weak or reused passwords make hacking easy. Create long, complex passwords and store them in a password manager.
• Monitor your financial and personal data – Check bank statements, credit reports, and online accounts for suspicious activity. Use alerts and breach-checking tools like Have I Been Pwned.
• Be cautious with personal information – Avoid sharing sensitive details unless necessary. Watch out for phishing scams, verify website URLs, and use multi-factor authentication for added security.

Identity theft is a growing threat—your stolen details can be sold on dark web marketplaces and used for loans, purchases, and more. Regular searches won’t uncover these risks, but ID Alerts will.

Express VPN’s ID Alerts monitors for:

• Dark web leaks: Scans hidden sites for your personal data.
• Social Security misuse: Alerts if your SSN is used for loans or fraud.
• Address changes: Notifies you if someone redirects your mail.

If suspicious activity is detected, you’ll get an immediate notification, helping you act fast before damage is done. ID Alerts is currently available to ExpressVPN users in the U.S.

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