Living costs leaked: what it means and what to do

What this data is

Monthly or yearly expenses you reported, such as rent or mortgage repayments, utility bills, childcare, groceries and transport, usually from loan applications, budgeting tools and financial surveys.

The risk on its own

Low risk on its own. Expense figures cannot be spent and do not identify you. They do paint a picture of your household budget that most people keep private.

The risk combined with other data

Next to your income and contact details, they show how stretched you might be. That makes you a target for debt relief scams, payday lending and fake government support payments. Alongside loan application data, they also help a fraudster fill in credit applications that look consistent.

How criminals use it

• A household that looks under financial pressure receives fake hardship grant offers with an application fee.
• Fake energy company callers promise lower bills if you switch today and hand over bank details.
• A fraudulent loan application in your name uses realistic expense figures to pass affordability checks.

What to do now

1. Treat unsolicited offers of grants, bill relief or debt consolidation as scams, and check support programs on official government websites.
2. Contact energy and utility providers only through the numbers printed on your bills.
3. Place a credit freeze if your income, date of birth or ID leaked in the same breach.
4. For genuine money pressure, use free financial counselling services rather than paid debt fixers.

Frequently asked questions

Is my budget information sensitive?

It is private, but low risk on its own. It becomes more useful to criminals alongside income and identity details.

Why am I suddenly getting debt relief calls?

Financial profile data is traded to lead generators. Hang up, and find free financial counselling yourself if you need help.

Is there anything urgent to do?

Only if identity details leaked with it. Otherwise stay sceptical of money offers and change the account password.

Breaches that exposed this data

• Kreditplus: 2020-06-23, 769K accounts, Dates of birth, Email addresses, Employers, Family structure, Genders, Income levels

Tools that help

• Email Breach Check
• Phone Exposure Audit
• Phishing Link Checker

Related guides

• Stop Spam Calls: Phone Settings, Carrier Filters, Registers
• Credit Freeze Guide: US, Australia, UK and Canada Steps
• Senior Scam Protection: A Family Plan That Actually Works