Peabody Residents Receive Breach Notifications After Summer Hack

Peabody alerts residents about a June 2025 data breach; experts advise credit freezes and password changes to combat potential risks.

By Content Team

Feb 14, 2026

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The city of Peabody is notifying residents about a data breach that occurred last summer. Hackers gained access to city systems on June 13, 2025, but officials didn't discover the breach until July 7. Mayor Ted Bettencourt's office confirmed the hack is real after some residents initially thought notification letters were scams.

Cybersecurity expert Peter Tran calls cities a "treasure trove" for hackers, noting that budget constraints often leave municipalities with weaker security than private companies. He recommends residents freeze their credit, set up fraud alerts, and change passwords.

Resident Skip O'Neil, who lived in Peabody decades ago, received a notification letter and spent an hour checking his accounts. The city is reviewing security policies and hasn't received reports of information misuse yet.

Source: CBS Boston

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