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3 million Texans affected in hunting, fishing license data breach

USA TODAY

Mateo Rosiles, USA TODAY NETWORK

Mon, June 22, 2026 at 7:07 AM PDT

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The personal data of more than 3 million Texans may have been exposed in a data breach affecting the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD).

Texas Cyber Command recently detected a cybersecurity incident with TPWD’s hunting and fishing license system vendor.

According to TPWD, the investigation indicates that an unauthorized user may have obtained driver license information, passport numbers (if provided), email addresses, phone numbers and residential addresses for more than 3 million Texas hunting and fishing license holders.

Social Security numbers, dates of birth and financial information, including credit card details, were not obtained, TPWD said. There is also no evidence that customers under the age of 18 were involved or that any specific group was targeted.

TPWD stated that it had implemented additional security options to better protect customers’ data in the future.

https://7a6552813523c2a42223d524e1760459.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-45/html/container.html
An example a Texas REAL ID being required to fly within and from all U.S. Airports on display at the Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport on May 1, 2025 in Lubbock, Texas.
An example a Texas REAL ID being required to fly within and from all U.S. Airports on display at the Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport on May 1, 2025 in Lubbock, Texas.

Steps for affected Texas hunter and fishing license holders

Affected customers are eligible to receive one year of free credit monitoring through Kroll, TPWD said. Customers can confirm their eligibility by contacting the dedicated call center at (844) 959-7123.

The enrollment deadline for free credit monitoring is Sept. 14, 2026, with the call center available from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. CT, Monday through Friday, to answer questions about the incident or the services being offered.

As a precaution, TPWD said individuals can also do the following:

  • Actively monitor for potential fraud and identity theft by reviewing credit reports and financial statements for unauthorized activity. If found, individuals should notify the relevant financial institution or credit bureau reporting the activity.
  • Check, freeze and monitor your credit. Contact the three major credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — to freeze your credit, free of charge.
  • Individuals can also place a free, one-year fraud alert by contacting any of the three credit bureaus.
  • Scammers may use personal information to impersonate companies or officials. Avoid clicking links or sharing personal details unless you are certain the request is legitimate.

If individuals have any additional questions, TPWD said to call (844) 959-7123 for more information.

Mateo Rosiles is the Texas Connect reporter for USA TODAY and its regional papers in Texas. Got a news tip for him? Email him at mrosiles@usatodayco.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Data breach exposes 3 million Texas hunting, fishing license holders

3 million Texans affected in hunting, fishing license data breach – AOL