LKQ Corporation data breach
Incident readout
- Company
- LKQ Corporation
- Reported to
- Montana Attorney General
- Filed
- December 15, 2025
- People affected
- Not stated in the filing
- Incident type in filing
- Not stated
- Our review
- Monitoring
Was this a ransomware attack?
The filing does not say ransomware was involved. We do not label an incident ransomware unless the company’s report says so. Whatever the cause, the steps to protect yourself and the legal question are the same.
Information listed in the filing
- Full Name
- Social Security Number
- Date of Birth
- Wage and Compensation Information
- Tax Return Information
- Direct Deposit Account Details
- Mailing Address
- Telephone Number
What we know
LKQ Corporation operates as a leading specialty distributor and provider of alternative and specialty parts for automobiles and other vehicles, functioning as a massive enterprise within the automotive aftermarket, supply chain, and logistics sectors. Because of the vast scale of its operations, supply network, and workforce, the company maintains extensive repositories of sensitive personal, financial, and operational data. This includes comprehensive records concerning its thousands of employees, independent contractors, vendors, and commercial clients across the country. To manage human resources, payroll, employee benefits, corporate logistics, and business-to-business transactions, LKQ Corporation necessarily collects and stores high-value, non-public information that makes it a prime target for sophisticated cybercriminal organizations.
In 2025, formal notices regarding a cybersecurity incident were submitted to the Montana Attorney General's office, alerting affected individuals and regulatory authorities to a significant breach of LKQ Corporation's digital infrastructure. While the exact vector of the intrusion continues to be evaluated, incidents of this nature within large-scale corporate supply chain and distribution environments typically involve unauthorized access to centralized corporate databases, sophisticated ransomware deployments, or the compromise of third-party vendor systems. Enterprises managing complex enterprise resource planning (ERP) networks and nationwide distribution centers often possess legacy systems or sprawling digital perimeters that, if inadequately secured, provide malicious actors with an entry point to exfiltrate vast quantities of confidential corporate and personal files.
The data compromised in the LKQ Corporation breach encompasses a dangerous cocktail of sensitive identifiers, including full names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, banking details, wage and compensation records, and home addresses. The exposure of this information creates severe, immediate risks for every impacted individual. Social Security numbers and dates of birth form the foundational keys required for identity theft, allowing cybercriminals to open fraudulent lines of credit, apply for unauthorized loans, or intercept government benefits. Furthermore, the compromise of banking, wage, and tax-related details directly exposes victims to financial account takeover, fraudulent tax filings, and targeted phishing scams designed to drain personal assets.
As a major commercial enterprise operating across multiple states, LKQ Corporation is legally bound by state consumer protection statutes, the Federal Trade Commission Act, and common law principles of negligence to maintain rigorous, industry-standard administrative, physical, and technical safeguards for the data it collects and retains. These legal obligations mandate the implementation of continuous network monitoring, robust encryption protocols, multi-factor authentication, and timely vulnerability patching. The occurrence of a data breach of this magnitude strongly indicates a failure of these fundamental duties, suggesting that existing security architectures were inadequate to detect and repel unauthorized network intrusion in a timely manner.
Receiving an official data breach notification letter from LKQ Corporation is a formal acknowledgment that your private, sensitive information was compromised as a result of corporate security failures. Legally, this notification establishes the foundation required to participate in class action litigation against the company. Under modern data privacy jurisprudence, impacted individuals do not need to wait until they experience actual financial loss to seek legal recourse; the increased, imminent risk of future identity theft is sufficient to establish legal standing. Our firm is currently investigating potential class action claims on behalf of all affected individuals on a contingency fee basis, meaning there are never any out-of-pocket costs or attorney fees unless we successfully recover compensation on your behalf.
See every breach reported in Montana or read what to do after a ransomware attack.
After the LKQ Corporation incident: what to do and your options
- What should I do after getting the LKQ Corporation data breach notice?
- Keep the letter and the envelope, and note the date it arrived. Freeze your credit with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, change any passwords the notice mentions, and sign up for any free credit monitoring the letter offers. Then check whether you may have a claim.
- How many people were affected by the LKQ Corporation data breach, and what was exposed?
- The filing does not give a count of affected people and lists the following information as involved: Full Name, Social Security Number, Date of Birth, Wage and Compensation Information, Tax Return Information, Direct Deposit Account Details, Mailing Address, Telephone Number. Your own letter is the best guide to what was exposed about you, since notices are usually tailored to each person.
- Did LKQ Corporation offer free credit monitoring?
- Any free monitoring LKQ Corporation is offering will be described in the notice you received, along with an activation code and a sign-up deadline. Because Social Security numbers are listed in this filing, identity monitoring and a credit freeze matter more than usual. Enrolling does not give up your right to bring a claim.
- Where can I see the official LKQ Corporation breach notice?
- LKQ Corporation's report is published by the Montana Attorney General: https://dojmt.gov/office-of-consumer-protection/reported-data-breaches/#mt-lkq-corporation-2025 Compare it with the letter you received to confirm the dates and details match.
- Can I sue LKQ Corporation over the data breach?
- It depends on what was exposed, the law in Montana and your own state, and whether you've been harmed. Most people take part through a class action rather than suing alone. Keep your notification letter — it's the proof that connects you to the breach.
- Do I need a LKQ Corporation data breach lawyer or attorney?
- Whether the company's systems were encrypted by ransomware or data was simply taken, the legal question is the same: did it protect your information the way the law requires? An attorney can review your notice for free, and these cases are usually handled on contingency.
- Is there a LKQ Corporation data breach class action lawsuit?
- Law firms often open an investigation after a breach notice like this one, and a class action lawsuit may follow. This page doesn't confirm that a lawsuit has been filed against LKQ Corporation. You usually don't have to join a class action to be included — if a settlement is reached, class members are notified and can file a claim.
- Is the LKQ Corporation data breach letter legit or a scam?
- A notice from LKQ Corporation in the mail matches the breach LKQ Corporation reported to the Montana Attorney General on December 15, 2025. Check that the company name and dates in your letter match that filing. A real notice of data security incident won't ask for your password, Social Security number or a payment — if it does, contact LKQ Corporation through a phone number or website you find yourself.
- How much could a LKQ Corporation data breach settlement or claim be worth?
- There is no set amount, and no LKQ Corporation settlement is confirmed here. In past data breach settlements, payments depended on what data was exposed and on documented losses — fraud, out-of-pocket costs and time spent dealing with the breach. The filing lists Full Name, Social Security Number, Date of Birth as involved. Keep receipts and records; they're what damages claims are built on.
Other breaches reported in Montana
- MemberSource Credit UnionMontana Attorney General · Filed May 5, 2026Count not stated
- MemberSource Credit UnionMontana Attorney General · Filed May 5, 2026Count not stated
- MemberSource Credit UnionMT Attorney General · Filed May 5, 2026Count not stated
- GrayRobinson P.A.Montana Attorney General · Filed April 24, 2026Count not stated
- GrayRobinson P.A.Montana Attorney General · Filed April 24, 2026Count not stated
- GrayRobinson P.A.MT Attorney General · Filed April 24, 2026Count not stated
Attorney advertising. This page reflects a public regulator filing; it does not mean a lawsuit has been filed or that the company did anything unlawful. Submitting a review request does not create an attorney-client relationship.