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The Top 15 Sites to Hire UX Researchers

Over the years, Toptal has created a freelance marketplace that boasts some of the tech industry's best software developers and designers. Their talent base includes researchers and strategists like UX researchers, too. Whether you’re looking for a UX researcher or a UX designer, Toptal ensures that you’re matched with a professional that suits your needs, interest, and timeline. The platform’s model and intensive screening and testing process are designed in such a way that ensures you are connected with a freelance professional who can blend into your team and deliver quality work for your project.

• Selective screening for some of the leading UX experts and user experience designers
• Senior UX researchers available for your design and product teams
• Matching service pairs you with talent

One of the oldest and well-known freelance marketplaces, Upwork has millions of registered users and jobs posted every year. The platform offers freelance professionals with various skills. Their project management tools allow you to avoid risks by paying once certain project milestones are achieved. With its long history and experience, Upwork is a platform where you can find a UX researcher of different levels and qualifications.

• Well-known freelance marketplace
• Find UX researchers at lower prices
• Payment is handled through their system

The platform gets its name because freelancers on Fiverr will offer their services for $5. However, that depends on the length and breadth of the project. Fiverr has around 830,000 professionals spread across 160 countries . You can look for a UX researcher either by browsing through their hundreds of service categories or typing in a keyword to go straight to the profiles. Freelancers on Fiverr create a profile detailing who they are and what they offer. Some even offer an introduction video about themselves.

• Use tools for project management to keep your freelancer on track.
• Find the service you need rather than directly posting your project. You can then directly contact your preferred UX researcher
• Sign up for Fiverr Pro for a group of vetted freelancers with more experience

On Guru, to hire a UX researcher, you start by posting a job on their site. Guru looks through their freelancer profiles based on categories, location, rating, rate, and more and presents to you its top freelancers. The platform also offers a collaboration and project workspace called “Work Room.” Here, you can share deadlines, project details, achievements, or conduct any simple communication with your candidate. You can pay the freelancer through Guru Safepay, where you deposit the money, and Guru processes it after you approve the work.

• Presents top freelancers that may match your project
• Collaboration space for freelancers and clients

5 . Freelancer

Freelancer has a talent pool of freelancers that we would love for project-based work. It allows you to post your project and receive bids from freelancers. The platform has a reputation system that simplifies the process of finding a professional or UX researcher for your project. Freelancer also gives you the ability to add upgrades to your project for a fee that allows you to make your project feature within the posting system or have Freelancer’s recruiters help you screen your candidates.

• Find candidates through contests, job postings, or targeted search
• Accommodates most budgets sizes
• Corporate client base

6 . Workana

Workana offers freelancers with tech and design skills. Like other freelance portals, you can create a job posting for a UX researcher highlighting the project details, timelines, and more. Freelancers on Workana create their profile highlighting their expertise, rate, and more so, you have an idea of who you’ll be working with.

• A pool of Spanish-speaking experts
• Multiple fields of expertise
• Translation offerings

7 . 99designs

99designs is a global creative platform that connects designers and clients. The platform crowdsources design, which means that freelancers will submit their ideas on how to proceed with your project when you share a posting. You then get to pick the one you like most and work with them. And in case you want to skip this contest option, you can look at their pool of experienced UX designers and choose the one you want.

• Receive entries from a contest posting
• Choose from multiple designers for the same project if you want
• Prices for a wide range of expertise

8 . PeoplePerHour

PeoplePerHour (PPH) is a UK-based freelance platform that caters to small businesses in the European market. The platform has its own internal project management tool called “Workstream” that helps manage the work between you and the freelancer. Instead of posting a job on PPH, you can select the set-price hourly package from their “Hourlies” feature.

• UX researchers available at most budget levels
• Suggested for small businesses
• Packaged services could help you finish your project faster

9 . Simply Hired

One of Simply Hired's best features is that it allows you to browse freelancers based in your nearby location. You can browse through other similar job postings and talk to freelancers to get an estimate of their rate and project deliverables. Simply Hired also maintains a blog where you can learn tips on how to hire freelancers for your UX research project.

• Brand recognition from around the world
• Multiple hiring options including full-time, part-time, or contract
• Low initial costs

10 . Flexjobs

Flexjob offers freelancers in various fields. The candidates and the organizations are screened, giving both parties peace of mind about their legitimacy. Freelancers on the website participate in a skills test which acts as another layer of credibility for their knowledge and expertise on the subject. You can post a job and interview freelancers before you begin a project with them.

• Focused on remote and flexible working opportunities
• Interview freelancers before beginning the project
• Candidates and companies are screened

Krop’s search platform allows you to find professionals for freelance, part-time, or full-time. Creatives create a comprehensive profile using the platform’s portfolio-building tool. Some of the world’s most respectable brands and creative professionals are a part of Krop. To find a fit, you must post a job describing in detail about the project. Krop then allows you to access its database of thousands of resumes and portfolios. The company also promotes the talents of individual creatives to organizations looking for longer contracts.

• Search for full-time, part-time or contract workers
• In-house portfolio tools that give you access to UX work
• Extensive database of workers

12 . LinkedIn Profinder

With over 575+ million users and millions of monthly active users, Linkedin ProFinder provides access to a diverse user base. Professionals build a profile of themselves, highlighting their specialization and past work. The ‘Profinder’ is specifically for freelancers so, if you’re looking for someone for a particular project, this might be your fit.

• Diverse user base
• Message designers directly

13 . Designhill

Designhill is a virtual marketplace for creative professionals who specialize in digital work. The platform provides a free environment where you can give real-time feedback to the professional working on your project. Freelancers on the platform create their portfolios, highlighting their work for potential clients. The website holds contests that freelancers compete in by contributing to a client’s project. You can select the design you like the most, share feedback on it, and request revisions.

• Focused on digital work
• Provide real-time feedback as your project progresses
• On-site portfolios give a wide snapshot of work

14 . LocalSolo

LocalSolo allows you to establish a conversation directly with the freelancers. You can put up your project details and requirements, and freelancers apply to them. You can ask about the rates, contract, and payment details directly from the professional. You can look for part-time, project-based and full-time candidates. Post a job, go through the profiles, and find a fit for your project.

• Curated network of freelancers and UX experts
• Offers talent in your area
• Hire direct from the freelancer

Gigster was designed to serve as a bridge between freelance developers and organizations. Freelancers on this platform are among the top-ranking talent on the web who have worked with some of the leading tech companies. Some of them are startup founders, while some have graduated from schools such as Stanford and MIT. Some of them have created apps that have won an award from Apple.

• Creates a team automatically for your project
• Remote teams to work on your project
• Customized productivity tools

Best sites to hire designers by skill

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Education for every phase of your UX career

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Learn how to plan, execute, analyse and communicate user research effectively.

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User research course for UX

Professional certificate in user research.

The industry standard course in UX research

Master the research skills that make UX professionals so valuable. Become a confident, credible and effective user researcher with a globally recognised qualification.

Why take this user research course:

• Gain the most in-demand skills* and boost your career in a thriving industry.
• Learn a complete range of UX research methods. Expand your toolkit to conduct high-quality research at pace.
• Become an insights expert. Translate findings into actionable insights and communicate them with conviction.
• Showcase your expertise. Build a professional user research portfolio and earn a university credit-rated qualification.
• Get the confidence to succeed. Count on our mentors, career advisors and student community throughout your journey.

*Research is one of the top 10 most in-demand skills globally (LinkedIn, 2023).

A comprehensive, in-depth curriculum

This user research course has been created and validated by experts in UX research. It is credit-rated by Glasgow Caledonian University. Self-paced learning gives you the flexibility to study in your own time. Monthly deadlines and submissions give you structure and accountability. The best of both worlds.

Introduction to user research

Understand the role of a UX researcher. Explore the types, methods and ethics of research.

Planning the research

Learn how to build a research plan, collaborate with stakeholders, recruit participants and manage data.

Fundamental user research skills

Master the core skills of interviewing and usability testing. Learn how to moderate and take notes.

Expanding your toolkit

Explore qualitative research methods like ethnography, contextual enquiry, service safaris and diary studies.

Analysing qualitative research

Learn to analyse research data and translate it into user goals, affinity diagrams, personas and journey maps.

Quantitative research

Learn to design, conduct and analyse online surveys, A/B tests and more.

Communicating the research

Learn how to report and present your findings with confidence.

AI for user research

Explore how AI tools can assist researchers.

Portfolio project

Build a professional portfolio to showcase your research expertise.

Get the syllabus and learn more about our user research course:

Who is this course for?

This course is for anybody looking to build their skills and advance their career with UX research.

• UX designers seeking to enhance their user research skills
• UX researchers looking for a formal qualification that validates their expertise
• Researchers or social scientists considering a career in UX
• Product managers/owners who need research skills to succeed in their roles
• Anyone who enjoys interacting with users, seeking a meaningful UX research career

Stephen Kennedy

Deputy Head of Product & Design, Ryanair

“The course has significantly enhanced my user research skills. In my role as the Deputy Head of Product & Design, I not only feel more self-assured in carrying out user research tasks, but I also feel well-equipped to lead and guide my team.”

Learn from experts

The Professional Certificate in User Research has been created with seasoned UX research professionals.

Next user research course

5 september 2024, pay upfront, pay monthly.

• Based on 6 monthly payments
• 0% interest

What’s included

Support at every step.

From day one, you’ll be part of a lively community of tutors, mentors and fellow students that support each other along the way.

Student Success team

Our friendly and responsive team will help you stay on track and keep you accountable.

Course mentor

Your course mentor is an expert user researcher who brings years of practical insight.

Student community

Collaborate, share tips and build connections on our lively student Slack channels.

Request more details

Submit your contact details to get:

• The full course syllabus
• Your questions answered, by phone or email
• Helpful career advice with no obligations

Or if you're happy to get started, enrol today.

Get helpful career advice and have your questions answered, with no obligations.

“I love what I do now and I wouldn’t be where I am without the UX Design Institute.”

UX Designer & Researcher Lucky Beard

Or if you're happy to get started, you can enrol today .

Frequently asked questions

More questions? Schedule a call with an education advisor, or email us at [email protected]

What is user research?

The objective of user experience design is to create products and services that users will feel good about using. But how do we know what users want? How can we empathise with them or understand their goals and objectives while also knowing which problems they want our products to solve? That’s where user research comes in.  User research is the process of researching a product or service’s current or potential users. User research helps UX designers understand their users so that the products they create are more likely to satisfy them while meeting business objectives. Learn more about user research here .

What do user researchers do?

In UX design, a user researcher, also known as a UX researcher, uses qualitative and quantitative research methods and analysis to gain insight into the users of a product. A UX researcher’s work is ultimately in service of a product’s UX design but UX researchers aren’t designers. Instead, they synthesise and present their findings to the design team through presentations, personas, journey maps and other tools that will enable the team to understand the users they’re designing for. Learn more .

Do I need design or coding experience?

No, you don’t need any design or coding experience. Bring an open mind and aptitude to learn.

What are the admissions criteria?

Students are admitted on a case-by-case basis after a consultation with one of our Education Advisors. Key factors we’ll discuss with you include:

1. Background

You don’t need experience in design or technology to enrol in our courses, although having one or both is a definite bonus.

2. Commitment

You do need to be motivated and committed. We set a high bar. Studying for one of our professional qualifications requires a certain amount of time, energy and focus. Our team will be there to support you along every step of the way but success will come as a result of your own diligence.

3. English language

You need to be comfortable learning in English. All video lessons, course materials, webinars, correspondence and the final exam are delivered in English.

How is the course structured?

There are two learning paths available to you:

1. Structured path

The most popular option is to follow the 16 week structure. Each week you are given a deadline with a number of video lessons to complete. You’ll also follow recommended start and finish dates for each project.

2. Self-directed path

Alternatively you can complete the course entirely at your own pace. As the course is delivered entirely online, it means that you’re free to complete it whenever you are free. You’ll still be able to take part in any of the webinars - either live or catching up through recordings. Once enrolled, you'll have access to all of the course materials for eight months.

Will I get a mentor?

Yes. All our mentors are industry professionals with many years of experience working in the field. Our mentors host webinars and will be available during these live sessions to answer questions, review progress and run quick tutorials.

Will I build a portfolio?

Yes. Practical work is an important part of the course. You’ll complete a series of projects which will give you hands-on experience in user research. Completed project work can be added to your portfolio to showcase the skills that you’ve acquired through the course.

Will I work on a team?

Yes, if you want to. Each course is limited to a maximum of 75 people. This allows you to build relationships with your fellow students on a dedicated Slack channel, and collaborate on projects and study time.

Is the course recognised?

The UK higher education system is internationally renowned for its excellent standards. Our courses are all credit-rated by Glasgow Caledonian University, a highly-rated UK university. The Professional Certificate in User Research is allocated 15 credits at Level 7 on the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework. For your country, there will be an equivalent award in the relevant educational system. For guidance, please review the Certification Equivalents Table.

UX Researcher Job Description Template

A good UX researcher must have the ability to find out what consumers need from a product. They must be able to conduct research in the following areas: primary, secondary, quantitative and qualitative, market, and ethnographic. UX researchers understand consumer motivation and behavior and work with cross-functional teams such as Product Design, Product Management, and Product Development.

Trusted by leading brands and startups

UX researchers play a critical role in the design process. They are responsible for providing answers to challenging and often unexplored questions about a product’s design. To do this, the UX researcher will conduct several types of research, work with cross-functional teams, and play a significant role in assisting the entire user experience (UX) team in ensuring that the consumer has an experience with a product that is fun, intuitive, accessible, and joyful.

To identify a great UX researcher, it is necessary to employ an effective recruiting process that covers the different types of research available, tools used for UX research, research plans, presenting solutions, and how to continue to inform the design process after the launch of a product.

Because the field is still new and expanding and there are only a small number of educational programs specific to UX research, a lot of UX researchers will have relevant job experience without accompanying educational degrees or certificates.

UX Researcher Job Description and Ad Template

Copy this template, and modify it as your own:

Company Introduction

{{Write a short and catchy paragraph about your company. Make sure to provide information about the company’s culture, perks, and benefits. Include office hours, remote working possibilities, and anything else you think makes your company interesting.}}

Job Description

We are looking for an experienced UX researcher to join our team. You will be responsible for helping define and drive the future of our products. You will reveal what our users need from our products by conducting research, working with cross-functional teams, and performing usability studies. These responsibilities also include inspiring change, delivering oral and written presentations, evaluating qualitative and quantitative data, and helping the UX team better understand what would make a user’s experience more intuitive, accessible, and seamless. {{Add any specific experience here.}}

Responsibilities

• Conduct primary and secondary user research.
• Conduct and evaluate quantitative and qualitative research.
• Perform market and ethnographic research.
• Work closely with cross-functional teams to identify and evaluate research topics.
• Plan and implement user research strategies and methodologies.
• Advocate research findings to diverse audiences through written and oral presentations.
• Mentor and coach junior UX researchers on the team.
• Perform usability studies with consumers.
• Ask questions, gather data, and analyze data.
• Use a diverse set of UX research tools.
• {{Add other relevant responsibilities here}}

Requirements

• Five or more years of UX research experience
• Bachelor’s or MS in a human behavior related field (or equivalent and demonstrable work experience)
• Ability to quickly and effectively share research results
• Ability to perform all research-related tasks including research, planning, evaluating, and iteration
• Ability to formulate specific, answerable, and practical questions
• Ability to collaborate effectively with stakeholders and act as a strategic partner in product decisions
• Experience with remote testing tools
• A strong desire for creative problem-solving with a positive attitude
• Excellent time-management skills
• {{List education level or certification you require}}

Recent UX Research Articles by Toptal Designers

Democratizing User Research to Innovate and Refine Digital Products

Craft an Outstanding UX Portfolio With These Recruiter Tips

Don’t Always Champion the User: How to Balance Business Priorities and UX

Digging Deeper: A Practical Guide to Creative Empathy for Product Design

How to Design for Maximum Product Trust

Using Microsoft Clarity to Better Understand Users

Find the right ux research interview questions.

Read a list of great community-driven UX Research interview questions. Read them, comment on them, or even contribute your own.

Hire a Top UX Researcher Now

Toptal is a marketplace for clients to find top user experience researchers from around the world. Each Toptal freelance UX research consultant is thoroughly vetted and trusted by top companies for their most critical UX research design projects.

Alesha is a seasoned UX research leader with extensive experience spearheading programs, initiatives, and teams in highly regulated industries and organizations ranging from startups to Fortune 100 and Global 1000 enterprises. She thrives with a proactive and collaborative approach in both senior contributor and leadership roles, delivering data-driven, transformative impacts on strategic business initiatives, product design, process development, service delivery, and revenue generation.

Judit Layana Ilundain

Judit is an experienced UX researcher and designer who has helped companies of all sizes, startups, and entrepreneurs design and build meaningful digital products since 2012. Working closely with product teams, she provides strategy, UX research, design, and testing through all stages of a product's lifecycle.

Mathew Kelcher

Mathew specializes in UX research and design for products, services, and experiences that take large and small businesses to the next level. He has 15 years of experience in hands-on design and leading teams across all phases of the design lifecycle, from defining an experience vision to designing screens. Mathew has designed for many well-known and luxury brands, including Auchan, Balenciaga, BNP Paribas, Carrefour, Cartier, Europcar, Kering, Panasonic, Pernod Ricard, Swarovski, and YSL Beauty.

Discover More UX Researchers in the Toptal Network

Toptal Connects the Top 3% of Freelance Talent All Over The World.

Join the Toptal community.

More From Forbes

Top 10 in-demand remote jobs that pay $100,000+ in 2024, from research.

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Telemedicine physicians are among the highest-paid earners in the remote work model, with ... [+] eyewatering salaries reaching as high as nearly half a million

Is high-paying remote work really declining in 2024?

Contrary to popular opinion, the job board, Indeed.com, believes this is not the case. In its recent analysis of remote jobs from its Remote Job Tracker , Indeed noted that the share of job postings that advertize remote and/or hybrid work is actually leveling off at close to 8%, which is about three times higher than the share of remote job availability in 2019, despite the efforts of some employers to urge and mandate workers to RTO (return to office).

Top 10 Fastest Growing Remote Jobs That Pay $100,000 In 2024

Based on the analysis, here are the most popular, or fastest growing remote jobs, ranked in order (including pay). Salary estimates and average salary ranges are from Glassdoor, Zippia, ZipRecruiter, and Salary.com, as some sources did not have all jobs listed and therefore were unable to provide full U.S. compensation data for all jobs listed below.

• Document reviewer —average salary range between $27,000 to $103,000
• Telemedicine physician —average salary range between $267,000 to $456,000
• Forensic analyst —average salary range between $45,000 to $134,000
• Real estate analyst —average salary range between $84,180 to $117,090
• Senior environmental scientist— average salary range between $102,307 to $128,700
• Senior information technology specialist —average salary range between $80,143 to $99,130
• Senior staff engineer —average salary range between $98,313 to $117,885
• Social media strategist —average salary range between $76,353 to $101,896
• Program analyst— average salary range between $131,783 to $175,248
• Senior AI/machine learning engineer —average salary range between $113,330 to $143,370

Best High-Yield Savings Accounts Of 2024

Best 5% interest savings accounts of 2024, how to find these high-paying remote jobs.

So, what steps can you take to find these remote jobs?

According to Indeed career advisors, they suggest you take following steps:

• Research your industry: Some industries they note, such as IT and tech, marketing, and accounting, are much more likely to have remote roles. If you work in one of these sectors, you stand a better chance of securing a remote job. If not, you might want to re-evaluate your career position and assess whether it would be a wise move to make a career pivot so that you are better aligned with remote work opportunities. Of course, this decision would only be sensible to you if remote work was a greater priority for you in your employment considerations than any other factor.
• Use remote job boards: Of course, there are quite a few job boards dedicated to remote and flexible jobs, such as FlexJobs and WeWorkRemotely, and there are other traditional job boards such as LinkedIn and Indeed that have filters you can apply to find remote work as well. Just a note of caution: always bear in mind that many job boards serve aggregated data on job listings that are posted elsewhere as well, and are not responsible for the safety or legitimacy of these jobs. Sites such as Indeed do share guidance on how to protect yourself from fake or scam jobs; however it is up to you to be mindful of this when approaching any job platform, and bear in mind that there are some criminals who will play on the fact that you and many others are looking for remote work, just to obtain your personal or financial information. Look out for any red flags, such as jobs that sound too good to be true, obvious spelling mistakes, or the company simply cannot be found existing anywhere on the internet.
• Edit your resume: Highlight your independent work skills, your background in working remotely or in a hybrid model, and tailor your resume for each remote job you apply to.

Additionally, you should consider:

• What type of remote job works best for you, whether you want a full-time, hybrid, or freelance remote job.
• Preparing your physical space, tech set-up, and common interview questions for remote job interviews .
• Weighing up both the pros and cons of remote work, such as increased flexibility and reduced commuting, versus loneliness and self-paced schedule management, and decide if this is something you are happy to put up with for the long-term.

When applying for a remote job, always ensure that your physical space and internet speed is set up ... [+] to successfully accommodate everything from your remote interview to the day-to-day demands of the role

Following these steps, and looking out for these opportunities within the tech, marketing, app development, and other remote-first industries will enable you to be better aligned to secure your dream remote job—even sooner than you imagined was possible.

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National Public Data Published Its Own Passwords

New details are emerging about a breach at National Public Data (NPD), a consumer data broker that recently spilled hundreds of millions of Americans’ Social Security Numbers, addresses, and phone numbers online. KrebsOnSecurity has learned that another NPD data broker which shares access to the same consumer records inadvertently published the passwords to its back-end database in a file that was freely available from its homepage until today.

In April, a cybercriminal named USDoD began selling data stolen from NPD. In July, someone leaked what was taken, including the names, addresses, phone numbers and in some cases email addresses for more than 272 million people (including many who are now deceased).

NPD acknowledged the intrusion on Aug. 12 , saying it dates back to a security incident in December 2023. In an interview last week, USDoD blamed the July data leak on another malicious hacker who also had access to the company’s database, which they claimed has been floating around the underground since December 2023.

Following last week’s story on the breadth of the NPD breach , a reader alerted KrebsOnSecurity that a sister NPD property — the background search service recordscheck.net — was hosting an archive that included the usernames and password for the site’s administrator.

A review of that archive, which was available from the Records Check website until just before publication this morning (August 19), shows it includes the source code and plain text usernames and passwords for different components of recordscheck.net, which is visually similar to nationalpublicdata.com and features identical login pages.

The exposed archive, which was named “ members.zip ,” indicates RecordsCheck users were all initially assigned the same six-character password and instructed to change it, but many did not.

According to the breach tracking service Constella Intelligence , the passwords included in the source code archive are identical to credentials exposed in previous data breaches that involved email accounts belonging to NPD’s founder, an actor and retired sheriff’s deputy from Florida named Salvatore “Sal” Verini .

Reached via email, Mr. Verini said the exposed archive (a .zip file) containing recordscheck.net credentials has been removed from the company’s website, and that the site is slated to cease operations “in the next week or so.”

“Regarding the zip, it has been removed but was an old version of the site with non-working code and passwords,” Verini told KrebsOnSecurity. “Regarding your question, it is an active investigation, in which we cannot comment on at this point. But once we can, we will [be] with you, as we follow your blog. Very informative.”

The leaked recordscheck.net source code indicates the website was created by a web development firm based in Lahore, Pakistan called creationnext.com , which did not return messages seeking comment. CreationNext.com’s homepage features a positive testimonial from Sal Verini.

A testimonial from Sal Verini on the homepage of CreationNext, the Lahore, Pakistan-based web development firm that apparently designed NPD and RecordsCheck.

There are now several websites that have been stood up to help people learn if their SSN and other data was exposed in this breach. One is npdbreach.com , a lookup page erected by Atlas Data Privacy Corp . Another lookup service is available at npd.pentester.com . Both sites show NPD had old and largely inaccurate data on Yours Truly.

The best advice for those concerned about this breach is to freeze one’s credit file  at  each of the major consumer reporting bureaus . Having a freeze on your files makes it much harder for identity thieves to create new accounts in your name, and it limits who can view your credit information.

A freeze is a good idea because all of the information that ID thieves need to assume your identity is now broadly available from multiple sources, thanks to the multiplicity of data breaches we’ve seen involving SSN data and other key static data points about people.

Screenshots of a Telegram-based ID theft service that was selling background reports using hacked law enforcement accounts at USInfoSearch.

There are numerous cybercriminal services that offer detailed background checks on consumers, including full SSNs. These services are powered by compromised accounts at data brokers that cater to private investigators and law enforcement officials, and some are now fully automated via Telegram instant message bots.

In November 2023, KrebsOnSecurity wrote about one such service, which was being powered by hacked accounts at the U.S. consumer data broker USInfoSearch.com . This is notable because the leaked source code indicates Records Check pulled background reports on people by querying NPD’s database and records at USInfoSearch. KrebsOnSecurity sought comment from USInfoSearch and will update this story if they respond.

The point is, if you’re an American who hasn’t frozen their credit files and you haven’t yet experienced some form of new account fraud, the ID thieves probably just haven’t gotten around to you yet.

All Americans are also entitled to obtain a free copy of their credit report weekly from each of the three major credit bureaus. It used to be that consumers were allowed one free report from each of the bureaus annually, but in October 2023 the  Federal Trade Commission   announced  the bureaus had permanently extended a program that lets you check your credit report once a week for free.

If you haven’t done this in a while, now would be an excellent time to order your files. To place a freeze, you’ll need to create an account at each of the three major reporting bureaus, Equifax ,  Experian  and  TransUnion . Once you’ve established an account, you should be able to then view and freeze your credit file. If you spot errors, such as random addresses and phone numbers you don’t recognize, do not ignore them. Dispute any inaccuracies you may find.

109 thoughts on “ National Public Data Published Its Own Passwords ”

I thought a person could freeze access to their information through adding a PIN to their social security number directly? Wouldn’t this be a better option?

I think creating a PIN for your social security number with the government may be a better option?

If you think your SSA online account has been compromised, you can request SSA to Block Electronic Access. “Block Electronic Access If you know your Social Security information has been compromised, you can request to Block Electronic Access. This is done by calling our National 800 number (Toll Free 1-800-772-1213 or at our TTY number at 1-800-325-0778). Once requested, any automated telephone and electronic access to your Social Security record is blocked. No one, including you, will be able to see or change your personal information on the internet or through our automated telephone service. If you have requested that we block access to your record and later change your mind, you can contact us and ask to have the block removed. You will need to prove your identity when you call.” https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10220.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwih1IXy54yIAxXoDTQIHf6KBOwQFnoECBkQAw&usg=AOvVaw1bgOdqzK2y-WecZ8rae_fb

I just checked my status on pentester, along with that of my parents and sibling. None of the birthdates listed for myself are correct, nor are they correct for my parents (my sibling is not so lucky). Not only are the birthdates for myself and my parents wrong, one of the incorrect birthdates attributed to me is also incorrectly attributed to one of my parents. Anyone have any idea what is going on here? Is pentester returning accurate data to my searches? If the thieves have entirely incorrect birthdates for myself and my parents, I feel a tiny bit of relief. That will at least make it a teensy bit harder to exploit the data. But what are the odds that the original National Public Data records would have such accurate details otherwise, yet be completely off in terms of birthdates? Any ideas or info appreciated.

who says pentester.com is legit ?

https://www.whois.com/whois/pentester.com

What I want to know is why the email address that was exposed in my case is a ProtonMail account that I use exclusively for my bank accounts, and nowhere else? This means NPD acquired my data from one of my banks, who should have my data locked down, but are obviously selling it to 3rd parties. This needs to stop. Our elected officials need to work a lot harder than they presently do.

Good advice, Mike. Also remember that virtually all banks allow customers to access their accounts via their automated telephone banking system. Don’t confuse this with your mobile banking app. It’s a different system. Access codes for automated telephone banking always default to your SSN. Even if you exclusively bank online, your account is accessible via your bank’s automated telephone banking so change the access code to a self selected number. (Note: Some banks require you to speak to an agent to set it up. With other banks, it’s all automated.) If yours is a joint account, make sure to set a unique access code for each account holder. If you bank at multiple banks, use a different code at each bank just as you would use a different password for online accounts. What you can do via automated telephone banking varies by bank but, at a minimum, all banks will provide account balances and details of all recent transactions. Equipped with that information, a person might be able to call your bank and impersonate you since banks often pick a random transaction from your account and use that as an additional authenticator. And while you’re at it, call your bank and ask to set a verbal password to be used to authenticate you when you call them. Once this is done, banks will use all the typical authenticators (SSN, DOB, address, etc.) but in addition will ask for your verbal password. This helps reduce the risk of someone calling your bank and impersonating you. Again, use a different verbal password for each account holder and at each bank. Be sure to write these passwords down. If you can’t remember your verbal password, some banks that are scrupulous about security will require you to go to the bank in person to re-authenticate yourself and set a new verbal password.

I would like to be able to change my legal name every time my SSN gets exposed.

The most ridiculous part, besides how the data was protected, is how utterly useless our government is when it comes to protecting the people’s data. Nobody will be held accountable for the breach (or collecting the data…), all that will happen will be an email “out of abundance of caution, we are letting you know that you are fucked…” and the idiots continue with their activities. On the other hand – this company was SELLING that exact data, so technically, the only difference seems to be that this time, they don’t get any money for distributing the data.

One reckless person is responsible for this disaster, and the onus is on _us_ to mop up _his_ mess. We need robust federal protection from these shady creeps.

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