New Surfshark research analyzing global data breach statistics from 2004 to 2026 shows that 113.6 million national identification numbers — social security numbers, national insurance numbers, personal identity codes, and equivalents — have been exposed worldwide. The United States alone accounts for 78.8 million of them, or nearly 70% of the global total.
“When most credentials are exposed, the damage can be limited — passwords reset, cards canceled, keys replaced. National ID numbers are different. They are used across tax, healthcare, banking, pensions, and government records, and they cannot be reissued on demand. That is why this type of leak is more serious than a typical data breach. The exposed number stays valid, and every system that relies on it for identity verification becomes less reliable as a result,” says Dr. Luis Costa, Research Lead at Surfshark.
The risks that follow are wide-ranging:
- fraudulent credit cards opened in the victim’s name
- hijacked email, social media and online shopping accounts
- misuse of payment and bank accounts
- fake medical and insurance claims
- loans and leases taken out fraudulently
- employment and tax fraud tied to the victim’s identity.
“What makes the problem worse is that these numbers almost never leak alone. They arrive bundled with emails, phone numbers, and additional personal data, handing scammers a ready-made identity kit,” adds Dr Costa.
The US dominates global exposure
Since 2004, the top five most affected countries are the United States (78.8M), Brazil (6.6M), Russia (5.2M), China (1.8M), and the United Kingdom (1.1M). Within North America, the US accounts for 99% of all leaked national IDs, followed by Canada with approximately 315k exposed identity numbers.
The financial toll is already measurable. According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), identity theft cost Americans $185.8 million in 2025 — more than half a million dollars every single day. The Federal Trade Commission logged roughly 1.4 million identity theft reports the same year, equivalent to 3,721 victims every 24 hours.
Europe is the second most exposed region
With over 10 million leaked national identification numbers, Europe ranks second after North America. Russia accounts for 52% of the region’s total, followed by the United Kingdom (11%), Sweden (8%), France (7%), Belgium (4%), and Portugal (3%). Lithuania, Germany, Spain, and Italy each account for approximately 2%. Together, these 10 countries account for 92% of Europe’s total.
National IDs are only part of a much larger breach landscape
Leaked national identification numbers represent only a fraction of the wider exposure problem. Since 2004, breaches have also exposed 93.1 million identification document numbers. When accounting for all compromised data categories (excluding emails), the cumulative total of leaked records reaches nearly 60 billion.
