Columbia University Data Breach (August 2025): What Was Exposed and What To Do

What to do now

Steps chosen from the information listed in the official filings. Your own letter may list more.

1. Freeze your credit at all three bureaus

   A credit freeze stops new credit accounts being opened in your name. It is free by law and you can lift it when you need credit: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.

2. Get an IRS Identity Protection PIN

   An IP PIN stops someone else filing a tax return with your Social Security number. Get one from the IRS at irs.gov.

3. Contact your bank or credit union

   Review recent transactions, ask about account alerts, and ask whether a new account number is recommended.

4. Review your health insurance statements

   Check the Explanation of Benefits (EOB) statements from your insurer for visits, prescriptions or claims you do not recognize, and contact your insurer about anything unfamiliar.

5. Contact your state motor vehicle agency

   Ask your state's DMV what it recommends when a driver's license number has been exposed. Find your state's agency at USA.gov.

6. Watch for phishing calls, texts and emails

   Scammers often contact people after a breach, pretending to be the organization, a bank or a government agency. Do not give your Social Security number, passwords or codes to anyone who contacts you first.

7. Check your credit reports

   You can get free credit reports from all three bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com, the official site.

8. Report identity theft if you see signs of it

   The Federal Trade Commission's IdentityTheft.gov gives you a personal recovery plan.

Is the letter real?

The agency published an official copy of the notice. Compare your letter with it:

• Official copy of the notice letter (Washington State Attorney General, filed Aug 7, 2025)

Letters usually list a phone number for questions. Before calling, check that it matches the number in the official copy linked above.

Never give your Social Security number, bank details or passwords to someone who contacts you first.

Timeline

1. May 16, 2025 Incident began (earliest date reported) source
2. Jun 24, 2025 Incident ended (latest date reported) source
3. Jul 8, 2025 Organization discovered the incident source
4. Aug 7, 2025 Reported to Washington AG and California AG source
5. May 20, 2026 Reported to Texas AG source

Sources

1. Washington State Attorney General Notice filed Aug 7, 2025
   Filed as “Columbia University” · 54,075 Washington residents · Official copy of the letter
   The link opens the Attorney General's list of notices.
2. California Attorney General Notice filed Aug 7, 2025
   Filed as “Columbia University”
3. Texas Attorney General Notice filed May 20, 2026
   Filed as “Columbia University” · 161,544 Texas residents · total 3,067,242
   The link opens the agency's list; search it for the organization name.

Last updated Oct 20, 2026. Our summaries are written in our own words from the official filings above. Spotted an error? Report a correction.