Identity Documents of Over 150 Million Americans and Canadia

Key Takeaways

• Scanned copies of identity documents were reportedly available for verification as the FBI launched a major covert investigation that could extend acr
• WASHINGTON, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Sep, 2026) A major cybersecurity scandal involving the identity documents of US and Canadian citiz
• The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has launched an investigation into the matter
• According to an investigation by cybersecurity journalist Brian Krebs, a new identity theft service on the dark web offered a vast collection of drivi
• The alleged database also included identity cards, travel documents and data from some medical cards

Scanned copies of identity documents were reportedly available for verification as the FBI launched a major covert investigation that could extend across several continents.

WASHINGTON, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Sep, 2026) A major cybersecurity scandal involving the identity documents of US and Canadian citizens has come to light, with reports that digital scans of more than 153 million driving licences were being sold on the dark web.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has launched an investigation into the matter. According to an investigation by cybersecurity journalist Brian Krebs, a new identity theft service on the dark web offered a vast collection of driving licences and other important identity documents belonging to US and Canadian citizens.

The alleged database also included identity cards, travel documents and data from some medical cards. A particularly alarming aspect emerged when Brian Krebs reportedly found information from his own driving licence among the samples offered for sale.

Records belonging to other individuals were also verified, strengthening concerns that the data on the dark web was not merely fabricated or fictitious. According to the report, the data was offered on a dark web platform where buyers could allegedly view scans of identity documents before purchasing them.

However, the original source of the extensive database has not yet been conclusively identified, and US authorities have begun investigating the incident. The FBI has confirmed that it is investigating the alleged mass exposure and sale of driving licences.

However, the agency has refrained from providing further details because the investigation is ongoing. Cybersecurity experts said that if the full volume and authenticity of the data are confirmed, the incident could rank among the largest exposures of government-issued identity documents.

Experts warned that complete digital copies of driving licences could be used for identity forgery, financial fraud and bypassing various online identity-verification systems. The dark web service disappeared soon after the report emerged.

However, experts said this does not mean that the allegedly stolen data has been destroyed. Once identity information reaches criminal networks, it remains at risk of being resold or used in various crimes. The incident has also raised questions about the growing use of online identity verification.

Experts said the collection of digital copies of identity documents is increasing in banking, travel services, vehicle rentals and other sectors, meaning the impact of a single major data leak could reach millions of people. Authorities are continuing their investigation, and it remains unclear how access to such a large volume of identity documents was obtained, where the data was stolen from, and which group or organisation was behind it.

There has so far been no final official confirmation that all 153 million records were stolen or obtained from a single source. Cybersecurity researchers have verified multiple genuine identity documents among the available samples.

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Originally reported by UrduPoint. Enhanced and optimized for search by TechVeb.