Empire Express Data Breach: 5k Individuals Impacted

Empire Express Inc., a trucking and logistics company headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, has disclosed a data breach affecting 5,438 individuals in the United States.

On Feb. 13, 2026, a ransomware group known as DragonForce posted a claim on the dark web. The group stated it had obtained 93.74 GB of data from Empire Express and intended to publish the stolen information within four to five days.

The dark web posting appeared approximately two months before the company reported discovering the breach in mid-April.

The breach compromised personally identifiable information (PII) including names, Social Security numbers and driver's licenses.

The breach was reported to the Maine and the Massachusetts attorneys general offices.

Empire Express' response to the breach

The company provided contact information for Equifax (888-298-0045), Experian (888-397-3742) and TransUnion (888-909-8872), along with their mailing addresses and websites for submitting freeze requests within their notification letter to affected individuals.

Affected individuals can file complaints with the FTC online at www.ftc.gov/idtheft, by phone at 1-877-438-4338 or by mail at 600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20580.

Empire Express also advised consumers who believe their information has been misused to file a police report with local law enforcement. The company recommended obtaining a copy of any police report, as creditors may need the information to resolve fraudulent debts.

Steps to take if your information was exposed

• Place a security freeze on your credit reports by contacting Equifax, Experian and TransUnion to help prevent new accounts from being opened in your name without your knowledge.
• Request your free credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and review them for any accounts or activity you do not recognize.
• Monitor your health insurance statements by reviewing each explanation of benefits for medical services you did not receive and contacting your insurer about any unfamiliar charges.
• File a report if you spot suspicious activity by contacting local law enforcement and obtaining a copy of the police report, which can be useful when resolving fraudulent accounts.
• Be cautious of phishing attempts that reference Empire Express or this data breach by name, as scammers may use the incident to trick you into sharing additional personal information.
• Check your credit reports regularly even if no problems appear right away, as periodic reviews help catch issues early.