The Chegg data breach affected a significant number of users, exposing personal information that can be used for identity theft, phishing, and fraud. If you've ever had an account or relationship with Chegg, it's worth checking whether your data was involved.
What Happened
Chegg, the online education and textbook rental company, disclosed a data breach in September 2018. An unauthorized party gained access to a company database containing user account information, affecting approximately 40 million users, primarily students.
What Data Was Exposed
The exposed data included usernames, names, email addresses, shipping addresses, and hashed passwords. Chegg stated that payment card information was not affected, as it is processed and stored separately by a third-party payment provider.
Why This Still Matters
Even breaches from years ago remain a risk today. Stolen data is sold, traded, and reused indefinitely. Credentials from old breaches fuel credential stuffing attacks — automated attempts to reuse your email and password combination on other sites. If you reused a password anywhere, one old breach can compromise several current accounts.
How to Check If You Were Affected
Use our free breach checker below — enter your email and we'll scan it against known breach databases instantly, no signup required.
What to Do If You Were Affected
- Change any reused password immediately, starting with your most sensitive accounts.
- Enable two-factor authentication wherever it's offered.
- Monitor financial accounts closely if payment or banking data was involved.
- Watch for phishing — breach data is often used to craft convincing scam messages.
- Freeze your credit if your SSN or government ID number was exposed.
👉 Check your own exposure in 30 seconds → scan your email free.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Chegg data breach happen?
Chegg discovered unauthorized access to a company database in September 2018 and disclosed the breach publicly shortly afterward, notifying approximately 40 million affected users.
What data was stolen in the Chegg breach?
Usernames, real names, email addresses, shipping addresses, and hashed passwords were exposed. Chegg confirmed that payment card details were not part of the breach, as those are handled by a separate payment processor.
How do I check if my Chegg account was affected?
Use the free checker at Scan My Shadow with your email address. If it appears, change your Chegg password and any accounts where you reused the same password.
Did Chegg force a password reset after the breach?
Yes, Chegg reset passwords for all potentially affected users and recommended enabling additional account security measures.
Is my Chegg data still a risk years later?
Yes. Leaked credentials from years-old breaches like this one continue to circulate and are used in credential-stuffing attacks against other services, especially if you reused your Chegg password elsewhere.