Petco has announced a data breach related to a misconfigured software setting that led to some files being available over the web. Notices sent to customers and filings with states indicate that the exposed data may include names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, driver’s licenses, bank account details and credit or debit card information. The company says it has fixed the flawed setting and that it is sending individual notifications to affected customers.
What Petco Says Was Breached in the Data Exposure
Those files that have been exposed could potentially contain a wide range of data types, according to submissions from state attorneys general. Not all customers will have seen the same information compromised; what was involved may well have differed on a per-customer basis. Petco has about 24 million customers every year, though the total number of affected people was not publicly confirmed.
Filings indicate that the effect reaches across several states. In California, a notice filed there suggests that at least 500 residents were affected, the threshold that prompts a public breach submission to the attorney general. The filings — which report single-digit counts in some other states — do not yet have to include the final figures and may differ somewhat from tallies provided by individual states because they represent numbers processed on a different schedule than reports that are released live or hourly. The spread indicates that the episode may be a download interrupted by datasets or systems, rather than one big gulp of an entire database.
How to See If You Are Impacted by the Petco Breach
Look for an official notification from Petco via email or snail mail. The notice should tell you what information of yours was involved and describe free protections the company is offering, such as credit monitoring or identity-restoration services. Assume anything out of the blue is a bogus message until you verify through Petco or your account portal.
Search on your state attorney general’s breach portal for the Petco filing and sample notice. California, Texas, Massachusetts and Montana make the incident public. These portals frequently come equipped with a copy of the letter sent to consumers, which can help you verify what an actual notice will look like and what steps are recommended.
Assume your profile may be included if you used any of Petco’s relevant services that gather sensitive information—such as grooming appointments, veterinary care or loyalty accounts—until given explicit guidance to the contrary. Keep an eye on your mailbox and the email you have pinned to your account, as well as spam boxes, etc., on this, for an official notice.
Steps to Take Now to Protect Your Identity and Finances
Turn on fraud alerts and think about freezing your credit. A fraud alert mandates that lenders jump through extra hoops to verify you are who you say you are, while a credit freeze stops new credit from being opened in your name until it is lifted. You may freeze your reports for free at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. This is particularly true if the information leaked includes your SSN or date of birth.
Replace the plastic to pay and bolster banking security. If card or bank account numbers were included, request from your bank that they reissue new ones, turn on transaction alerts and periodically check statements for small “test” charges. Ask for ACH blocks or filters on checking accounts, if you can.
Obtain an IRS Identity Protection PIN if you’re concerned about tax fraud. An IP PIN adds a second factor to your tax filing, and helps to stop criminals who might try to file a return in your name. The IRS extends this protection to all taxpayers who establish their identity.
Harden logins and beware of scams. The password may not be one of the items on offer in that exposed data, but breaches tend to flow into waves of phishing. Use a password manager, turn on two-factor authentication for your email and financial accounts, and do not click links or download attachments in messages that purport to be from Petco without confirming them yourself.
Report suspicious activity using official resources. The Federal Trade Commission offers a recovery plan and documents to help if your identity is misused, as well, which can also be used when making police reports and extended fraud alerts. Your state attorney general’s office may be able to provide guidance and additional remedies for you.
Why This Petco Data Breach Matters for Consumers
Misconfigurations remain a common source of data exposure, according to sustained trends in analyses like the long-running Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report. And although not all breaches lead to criminal exploitation, the kinds of data likely exposed here—particularly Social Security numbers, driver’s licenses, and bank account information—are valuable in a range of identity-theft schemes and poorly targeted attacks.
The FTC consistently records more than a million identity theft reports in a normal year, and security researchers say criminals often combine leaked information from multiple incidents to gain fuller profiles. Detecting promptly: Banks often require that you report fraud quickly so they can refund the fraudulent activity.
Bottom Line on the Petco Breach and Your Next Steps
If you want to be absolutely sure, Petco would notify you officially or your information would have appeared on a breach portal of your state attorney general. But in the meantime, behave as though your information may be at risk: Lock down credit, replace compromised payment instruments, harden accounts and remain on high alert for targeted phishing. That goes some way to reducing your exposure as the scale of an incident becomes clearer.
