Society

PESEL panic: Millions of Poles block their national ID numbers over cybersecurity fears

Ewan Jones

02.10.2026, 13:48

Poland’s Police HQ has warned that identity theft is becoming more common and that the main method used by fraudsters is phishing. — Poland’s Police HQ has warned that identity theft is becoming increasingly common. Photo Illustration by Karol Serewis/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

The trend started in August after hackers gained access to data concerning more than 19 million people.