Fake data breach notification emails: how to tell
2 min read · Updated October 15, 2026
A real breach notice should never ask for your password or a code. Do not click links in the email. Go to the company’s official website or app yourself, check for a notice there and change your password from the real site. If you cannot verify the alert, treat it as phishing.
Why fake alerts work
After a real breach makes headlines, scammers copy the style of legitimate notices. People are anxious and want to act fast, which is exactly when mistakes happen.
Signs a breach notice is fake
- ✓It asks you to ‘verify’ your login through a link in the email.
- ✓It pressures you with deadlines or threats of account closure.
- ✓The sender domain does not match the company’s official one.
- ✓It asks for your full password, a verification code or payment details.
- ✓It arrives from a company you have never used.
Got a suspicious email about a leak?
Scammers love leaked data. See whether your address is genuinely in a known breach so you know how much of the message is real.
How to verify a real incident
- ✓Go to the company’s official site by typing the address yourself.
- ✓Look for a security notice on the site or in the app.
- ✓Search for news coverage from reputable sources.
- ✓Contact support using details from the official site.
What to do
If the incident is real, follow the company’s guidance and secure your account from the official site. If it is fake, report the message and delete it. Either way, check whether your address appears in known breaches.
Frequently asked questions
Is Leakill’s check a ‘breach notification’?+
No. Leakill does not send unsolicited alerts. You enter an address on leakill.com to run a check.
What if the real company emailed me?+
Verify through the official site first. Legitimate notices are usually echoed there.
Should I still change my password?+
If the company confirms a breach, yes, from the official site.
Stop guessing. Check your email in seconds.
The free Leakill check looks for your email address in known breach records and tells you whether it was exposed. If it was, an optional detailed report lists the incidents, dates, sources, the kinds of data involved and practical next steps. It is a one-off report, not a subscription.
A breach match is a warning signal, not proof that someone has access to your account today. No public database covers every breach, so a clean result lowers risk without guaranteeing safety.