- Total Records227,552,885
- Unique Emails49,924,897
- Unique Email Providers480,512
- Unique First Names121,436,990
- Unique Addresses128,130,889
The 2021 Unknown Leads Database Breach: What We Know
In early 2021, a massive trove of personal information surfaced online in what is now known as the Unknown Leads Database breach. This incident involved more than 227 million individual records, mainly detailing residents of the United States. While it was initially speculated to be linked to LiveRamp (formerly Acxiom), further investigation suggested the data set was actually a compilation of consumer leads from various sources rather than data directly originating from any specific marketing company. The breach revealed extensive personal details including full names, addresses, phone numbers, birthdates, email addresses, and even URLs, making it one of the largest leaks of consumer contact information in recent years.
What Was Included in the Unknown Leads Database?
The exposed records form a comprehensive snapshot of consumer leads information. Data fields included:
- First, middle, and last names
- Name suffixes and titles
- Full street addresses (including directions, numbers, and secondary addresses)
- State and zip code
- Phone numbers
- Birth dates (year, month, day)
- Email addresses
- Associated URLs
This collection paints a highly detailed profile of millions of individuals, suggesting its use for marketing, advertising, or other outreach purposes.
Who Was Affected?
The breach comprised more than 227 million records, all believed to be tied to people in the United States. This unprecedented scale made it a noteworthy leak within the lead generation and consumer data industry, potentially impacting a vast swath of the population.
When Did the Breach Happen?
The incident was first reported around January 1, 2021. The discovery of the dataset quickly prompted concerns about its origin and the breadth of sensitive information available to potential attackers or unscrupulous marketers.
Is the Database Linked to Any Organization?
Initial rumors pointed towards well-known marketing platforms, but later analysis showed the collection was likely a third-party compilation project—assembling data from numerous lead generation sources rather than directly from one company. This common practice within the data brokerage space makes precise attribution difficult.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the Unknown Leads Database breach?
A large database containing over 227 million detailed records of US residents was found publicly exposed. It included full names, addresses, contact information, birthdates, emails, and more, making it one of the largest consumer data leaks of its kind.
How many users were affected by the Unknown Leads Database leak?
The breach involved about 227,552,886 unique records, with many likely relating to individuals across the United States.
What types of data were leaked in the Unknown Leads Database incident?
Exposed fields included full names, addresses, phone numbers, birth dates, email addresses, and URLs, alongside various address and naming suffixes.
Is the Unknown Leads Database breach connected to LiveRamp or any single company?
While initially attributed to LiveRamp, no direct connection was confirmed. The data appears to originate from a composite of marketing and leads data, assembled from various sources without clear ties to any one company.
How can I check if I'm in the Unknown Leads Database breach?
You can check if your information was part of the Unknown Leads Database breach by utilizing the DeHashed search engine.