Data breach · September 2019

Was I in the KiwiFarms breach?

KiwiFarms is an online discussion forum. Its breach happened in September 2019 and exposed 4,606 accounts. It included dates of birth, email addresses, avatars and IP addresses (where you connected from) and 1 other kind of detail. If you had an account there by September 2019, check your address below to see whether it is one of them.

Breach record last updated . Steps read from the government pages at the foot of this page.

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01

What happened?

In September 2019, Kiwi Farms, a forum known for mocking people it singles out, was breached. Its own disclosure notice said member email and IP addresses, birth dates and posted content were all exposed.

Organisation
KiwiFarms, an online discussion forum (kiwifarms.net)
When it happened
September 2019
Added to monitored breach databases
17 September 2019
Accounts in the data
4,606
What was exposed
dates of birth, email addresses, avatars, IP addresses (where you connected from) and website activity

The breach record cites a public report on kiwifarms.net.

02

What was exposed, and what does it mean for me?

  • Identity detailsdates of birth

    A date of birth is one of the facts a lender or a phone company uses to confirm who you are. It does not change, so it stays useful to a fraudster for years.

  • Your email addressemail addresses

    Expect messages that look like they come from this service or another one you use, written to get you to click a link or sign in on a fake page.

  • Other detailsavatars, IP addresses (where you connected from) and website activity

    On their own these carry less risk, but they make a scam message sound more personal.

03

What should I do now?

In this order, for what this breach exposed.

1. In the US: freeze your credit at all three bureaus

  • Place a credit freeze with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. It is free to place and to lift, and it does not affect your credit score.
  • If you would rather not freeze, a fraud alert lasts one year. You ask one bureau and it tells the other two.
  • If someone uses your details, report it at IdentityTheft.gov to get a recovery plan.

2. In Canada: check your credit file and lock it

  • Get your credit report from Equifax Canada and TransUnion Canada. Both give it free online.
  • In Ontario, both bureaus must offer a security freeze free of charge, and each bureau is a separate request.
  • If you live in Quebec or Ontario, Equifax Canada will lock your credit report at no charge, online, by phone or by mail. Ask TransUnion Canada separately.
  • If your details are used to open an account, call your bank, report it to both bureaus, report it to your local police and get a file number, then report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (1-888-495-8501).

3. Expect phishing

  • Be wary of messages that urge you to act fast, ask for personal details, or link to an address that is slightly off.
  • If a message might be genuine, do not use its links or phone numbers. Go to the site by typing its address yourself.
04

Is my address in it?

Enter your email address. We check that one address against monitored breach databases and show which breaches list it and what each exposed.

No account needed. We keep the address you check, when, and how many breach records it was found in, to prevent abuse, until you ask us to delete it. Privacy

Sources

Where does this come from?

Other breaches from 2019

All breaches Breaches from 2019 Breaches that exposed dates of birth