FBI Probes Service Selling 153M+ Drivers Licenses
A new identity theft service, Nexus, is selling over 153 million driver’s licenses and other identification documents, sourced from a Louisiana-based identity verification company, idscan.net. The FBI’s New Orleans field office has launched an official investigation into a potential breach at idscan.net, which provides identity verification services to numerous businesses, including Hertz, Target, and Caesars Entertainment. The incident highlights the growing risk of sensitive data being exposed through widespread ID verification practices and raises concerns for vulnerable populations, such as those seeking to escape domestic violence or individuals in witness protection programs.
A new identity theft service, Nexus, is selling over 153 million driver’s licenses and other identification documents, sourced from a Louisiana-based identity verification company, idscan.net. The FBI’s New Orleans field office has launched an official investigation into a potential breach at idscan.net, which provides identity verification services to numerous businesses, including Hertz, Target, and Caesars Entertainment. The incident highlights the growing risk of sensitive data being exposed through widespread ID verification practices and raises concerns for vulnerable populations, such as those seeking to escape domestic violence or individuals in witness protection programs.
According to KrebsOnSecurity, Nexus is offering access to more than 153 million driver’s licenses from the United States and Canada, along with over 10 million identification cards, more than 3 million travel documents, and at least 579,000 medical cards. The service claims to be sourcing its data from an active breach at idscan.net, a company that processes over 21 million verifications monthly at more than 20,000 locations worldwide. Idscan.net provides identity verification services to numerous big brands, including Hertz, Target, Fedex, Motorola Solutions, the financial services giant Jack Henry, and Caesars Entertainment.
FBI agents were contacted earlier today and informed of the breach. The New Orleans field office has opened an official investigation into the matter. The incident comes as a result of a growing trend of businesses requiring ID verification for various services, leading to the widespread collection of sensitive data.
Zach Edwards, a security researcher, also has his driver’s license available for purchase on Nexus, with timestamps corresponding to a recent trip to Las Vegas. Planet13, a multi-state chain with stores in California, Florida, Illinois and Nevada, also uses idscan.net’s services, and the company’s own documentation states that it scans IDs with both infrared and ultraviolet light.
This incident raises significant security and privacy concerns, particularly for individuals who may be seeking to escape dangerous situations or those in witness protection programs. The widespread use of driver’s licenses for verification creates a large attack surface, and the potential for misuse of this data is substantial. The FBI’s investigation underscores the need for greater oversight and accountability in how businesses collect and protect sensitive identity information.