Over 200,000 Comcast customers affected in data breach: Names, IDs, Social Security numbers exposed

Comcast customers are the latest victims of a data breach – and the information taken in this one is extremely sensitive.

According to a notice sent to the Office of the Main Attorney General, more than 200,000 Comcast customers have been affected by a data breach at Financial Business and Consumer Solutions (FBCS). FBCS is a debt collection agency contacted by various companies to collect on unpaid debts. 

The FBCS breach was previously reported during the summer. More than 3.2 million Americans were affected by the breach. However, the notice, first reported by Bleeping Computer, gives us a look at which customers of which specific companies were affected.

This report revealed that 237,703 Comcast customers were among those impacted.

What data was exposed in the Comcast breach?

The private data involved in the breach is especially concerning. According to the notice, an "unauthorized party" downloaded files that contained Comcast customers' name, address, birthdays, Social Security number, ID numbers, and Comcast account number.

While FBCS discovered the breach in February, according to Comcast, the cable service provider was only made aware that the breach affected its customers in July.

According to The Verge, Comcast no longer uses FBCS' services and the data affected in the breach dates back to around 2021.

Comcast says it's providing affected customers with 12 months of free identity theft protection. In addition, the notice states that there has been no evidence yet of this private data being misused by bad actors.