Yeah, we have had some big data leaks like that down here as well.
Having said that, I’ve largely been unaffected by them and this is partly due to the fact I take my security and privacy ‘off-line’ as well.
Just enter this competition to win a $200 ecard, all you have to do is fill in your name, phone number, etc. NOPE, not doing that, chances I win are so small and I don’t want my data first put into a marketing database and second creating another database that can be hacked/leaked.
The local retailer that on checkout just asks for you postcode, at best they get the overall general State one (which is totally obvious, since that’s the State I’m standing in at the time) or I don’t give anything. What I never do is give my actual real postcode.
General websites or anything outside of official finance/government that asks for DOB in general or as part of age verification, gets a fake DOB. Assuming I care or somewhat need the service or whatever it is to start with. Plenty of times I’ve got to that point and just said, stuff it and closed the tab.
Like I said, there have been big hacks/leaks over the past couple of years down here as well. As a result from that, I am totally sure that the scammers deleted their old ‘contact’ lists and re-built new ones using all the new/latest information.
I’m so sure of this, due to the fact my data was never part of those recent big leaks and prior to that, I did get scam calls fair constant. Now, since then, for the past couple of years, I think I’ve had 1 scam call. Basically I got removed from the scammers system. Now sure, that’s partly good luck, but it’s also good practice of protecting myself.