A massive identity theft operation has come to light, exposing over 153 million drivers licenses and other sensitive documents from individuals in the United States and Canada. The illicit service, dubbed “Nexus,” offers these digital scans for purchase on a notorious dark web forum called Exploit, with some records dating back to 2025. What’s more alarming is that the FBI has launched an investigation into the source of this data, which appears to have been stolen from a widely-used identity verification company based in Louisiana.
The scope of this breach is staggering, with over 153 million drivers licenses available for purchase, along with millions of identification cards, travel documents, and medical records. The service even offers free samples, including my own Virginia driver’s license, which I discovered after being alerted by a source to the existence of Nexus. Upon further investigation, it became clear that these scans are not just limited to drivers licenses; marijuana dispensary cards, commercial drivers licenses, and government-issued identity cards like Common Access Cards are also up for sale.
The people behind Nexus claim that the license images are coming from an active breach at a major identity verification company whose customers include multiple Fortune 500 companies. While this may seem far-fetched, the evidence suggests otherwise. The number of drivers license records listed on Nexus has increased by nearly 400,000 in just 24 hours, indicating that freshly stolen data is being uploaded to the service on a regular basis.
What’s particularly disturbing about this breach is that some of the scanned documents include photos and even date and timestamps appended to each image file. In my own case, the timestamp corresponds to a flight I took in June 2025, which raises questions about how these companies are collecting and storing sensitive data. It also highlights the importance of securing personal information and being vigilant when it comes to identity theft.
The FBI’s investigation into this breach is a welcome development, but it’s essential for individuals to take steps to protect themselves from identity theft. This can be done by monitoring credit reports, using strong passwords and two-factor authentication, and being cautious about sharing sensitive data online. It’s also crucial for companies to implement robust security measures to prevent such breaches in the future.
In light of this incident, it’s a good idea for individuals to review their own records and take steps to protect themselves from identity theft. This includes monitoring credit reports, using strong passwords and two-factor authentication, and being cautious about sharing sensitive data online. Companies also need to take responsibility for securing customer data and implementing robust security measures to prevent such breaches in the future. By staying vigilant and taking proactive steps, we can mitigate the damage caused by these types of incidents and protect our personal information from falling into the wrong hands.
Source: Krebs on Security — 2026-09-01