FBI investigates potential breach of 153 million driver's licenses

8 September 2026 · Source balance: Centre

The FBI is investigating a possible data breach involving more than 153 million driver's license scans from people in the United States and Canada. A cybersecurity journalist discovered a dark web service called Nexus advertising digital copies of millions of government-issued ID documents for sale on a Russian cybercrime forum early September. The service apparently obtained the data from an identity verification company based in Louisiana that works with rental car agencies and marijuana dispensaries. The actual source of the breach remains unconfirmed, though investigators believe it stems from an active breach within a major ID verification provider. If authentic, this could be one of the largest exposures of government-issued identification documents in North America, creating risks of identity theft and fraud for tens of millions of people. The Nexus service went offline shortly after the discovery was publicly reported. The FBI's New Orleans field office confirmed it is investigating the incident but declined further comment due to the ongoing nature of the probe.