Data broker breaches cost Americans $20.8B, Congress finds

According to Congress’s Joint Economic Committee, breaches at data brokers have cost American consumers more than $20 billion, with the panel pegging losses at $20.8 billion after four major breaches. The report cites breaches involving Equifax in 2017 (affecting 147 million people), Exactis in 2018 (230 million), National Public in 2023 (270 million), and TransUnion in 2025 (4 million). It notes that the losses were estimated by applying a median identity-theft cost of about $200 per incident.

The findings also say that after The Markup and CalMatters’ reporting, four major brokers engaged with congressional staff and took steps to make opt-out and privacy information more visible, while one broker, Findem, declined to engage. The document calls for easier access to opt-out options and stronger oversight of the data broker industry.