Marital statuses leaked: what it means and what to do
Risk level: medium. Can you change it: no. Found in 16 breaches in this directory.
What this data is
Your relationship status, such as single, married, de facto, separated, divorced or widowed, collected by insurers, lenders, government forms, dating apps and marketing surveys.
The risk on its own
On its own, a marital status cannot open an account or prove who you are. It is still personal information that can reveal a recent separation or bereavement. Those life events are exactly what some scammers look for.
The risk combined with other data
With your name, age and contact details, it sorts people onto scam lists. Widowed and divorced people, particularly older people, are targeted by romance scammers who build long online relationships before asking for money. A married status in one record next to an active dating profile in another can also be used for blackmail.
How criminals use it
A romance scammer contacts a recently widowed person on social media and builds trust for months before an emergency request for money.
Someone with an active dating profile and a married status in another record is threatened with exposure.
A fake estate lawyer contacts a widowed person about unclaimed funds that can be released for a fee.
A separated person is targeted by fake family law or property settlement services.
What to do now
Be wary of new online contacts who declare strong feelings quickly, avoid video calls and eventually mention money problems.
Talk to a trusted friend or relative before sending money to anyone you have only met online.
Hide relationship status on public social media profiles.
Check any lawyer or estate service with your local law society or bar association before engaging them.
If you are threatened with exposure, do not pay. Keep the evidence and report it to police.
Frequently asked questions
Why would scammers care whether I am widowed or divorced?
Romance scammers look for people who may be lonely after a loss or separation. Knowing your status lets them tailor their approach.
How can I tell if an online relationship is a scam?
Common signs include refusing video calls, stories of working overseas, fast declarations of feelings and any request for money, gift cards or cryptocurrency.
Should I hide my relationship status online?
Where you can, yes. Strangers gain nothing legitimate from knowing it, and hiding it removes one targeting signal.
Breaches that exposed this data
Exactis: 2018-06-01, 132M accounts, Credit status information, Dates of birth, Education levels, Email addresses, Ethnicities, Family structure
VNG: 2015-05-19, 25M accounts, Dates of birth, Email addresses, Genders, IP addresses, Marital statuses, Names
Data Enrichment Records: 2016-12-23, 8.2M accounts, Buying preferences, Charitable donations, Credit status information, Dates of birth, Email addresses, Family structure
Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail: 2021-12-01, 5.5M accounts, Email addresses, Genders, Income levels, Job titles, Marital statuses, Names
Breach data sourced from Have I Been Pwned, used under CC BY 4.0. Additional breach metadata provided by XposedOrNot. DataExposed is an independent service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by either.