CashCrate Data Breach
Status: Confirmed
Breach Intelligence Summary
Entity: CashCrate · Actor: Unknown · Source: DataBreach.com / ObscureIQ intelligence
Attack: Third-Party Compromise via Under investigation
Timeline: Breach (Nov, 2016) · Reported (Apr, 2018) · Leak (3/17/25)
Exposure: 6.9M+ records · Account Balance, Email, Home Address, Name, Names, Password, Passwords, Phone Number, Physical addresses
Status: Confirmed · Risk: Moderate (Account takeover + Phishing / SIM swap)
Summary
In November 2016 CashCrate a platform rewarding users for completing online surveys experienced a data breach affecting approximately 6.8 million user accounts. The compromised data included names physical addresses email addresses and passwords. Notably older accounts had passwords stored in plain text while newer accounts utilized weak MD5 hashes both of which are considered insecure. The breach was publicly disclosed in June 2017 when hackers offered the stolen data for sale on underground forums. CashCrate indicated that the breach likely resulted from a compromise of their third-party forum software which was subsequently deactivated pending security enhancements. ​ In October 2018 a class-action lawsuit was filed against CashCrate alleging negligence in safeguarding user information and failure to promptly inform affected individuals.
About CashCrate
CashCrate is the organization affected by this breach. User data may have been generated through account creation, service usage, or business operations.
If you have interacted with CashCrate in any capacity, your data may be included in this breach.
Threat Actor: Unknown
The threat actor responsible for this breach has not been publicly identified or confirmed at this time.
- Under investigation
Breach Exploitation Status
Moderate
Status
Detected
Detected
Possible
Unknown
Unknown
3–5 years
Phone numbers and addresses change over time but remain valid long enough for sustained exploitation campaigns.
Data Points Exposed
Dark Web Verification
Status: Confirmed
- Dataset containing approximately 6.9M+ records has been identified in breach intelligence sources.
- The data is indexed and searchable across breach notification platforms.
Impact
This breach carries moderate risk due to the nature of exposed data fields and the scale of affected records.
- Targeted phishing referencing CashCrate accounts or services
- Credential stuffing against accounts sharing the same password
- SIM-swap attempts where phone numbers are present
- Physical mail scams and address-based identity verification fraud
- Data broker enrichment and resale
Recommendations for Impacted Individuals
If you believe your information may be included:
Non-clients may request a breach impact review.
CashCrate account updates
Password reset requests
Verify directly through official channels.
Email compromise is often the first pivot point.
Frequently Asked Questions
In Nov, 2016, CashCrate experienced a data breach that resulted in the exposure of approximately 6.9M+ records containing personal information.
The exposed data includes Account Balance, Email, Home Address, Name, Names, Password, Passwords, Phone Number, Physical addresses.
Approximately 6.9M+ records were affected based on current breach intelligence.
Yes. This breach is treated as confirmed based on data observed in breach intelligence platforms.
Data circulation has been detected across breach-sharing channels. Downstream exploitation risk exists based on the nature of the exposed fields.
Rotate passwords associated with CashCrate, enable multi-factor authentication on email and financial accounts, and monitor for suspicious activity.
Protect Yourself
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Corporate Accountability
Organizations that collect personal data have a duty to implement reasonable safeguards and to notify affected individuals when breaches occur.
Scope assessments may evolve as investigations continue. Users should not rely solely on early estimates when making risk decisions.
ObscureIQ Advisory
We combine proprietary dark web access with commercial and restricted breach intelligence to verify exposure and assess real-world risk.
- A public-facing individual
- A high-profile executive
- A customer of CashCrate
- Or simply concerned about credential reuse
We can confirm whether your information is circulating and evaluate downstream threat vectors.