The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) has disclosed a data breach affecting over 3 million people who hold Texas hunting and fishing licenses. The breach occurred at an outside vendor that TPWD uses to process license sales — not at the state agency itself. Texas Cyber Command discovered the intrusion and is assisting with the investigation.
The exposed data includes driver’s license information, passport numbers, home addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers. Importantly, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, and payment card details were not part of what was taken. TPWD is offering all affected customers one year of free credit monitoring and says there is no evidence that minors or any specific group were targeted.
How to check if you’re affected
Affected products include Texas hunting and fishing licenses purchased through the state’s online licensing portal. If you have ever bought a Texas hunting or fishing license, your personal information — including your driver’s license number, passport number, address, email, or phone number — may have been exposed.
Here is what you can do right now:
- Sign up for the free credit monitoring offered by TPWD at their official breach notification page (linked below).
- Place a credit freeze with all three major bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. It is free and prevents anyone from opening new credit in your name.
- Watch for phishing attempts. Scammers may use your name and address to send convincing fake messages or calls. When in doubt, hang up and call the agency back using the number from its official website.