Act Fast: Protecting Yourself After a Major Data Breach
A recent data breach involving billions of records, including Social Security numbers, has consumer advocates extremely concerned. The situation demands immediate action.
If you haven’t taken steps to safeguard your information, now’s the time.
The potential scope of this breach is significant, with reports suggesting that hackers may have stolen the Social Security numbers of nearly every American.
According to a class-action lawsuit, a hacking group claimed to have taken personal records from a database used by companies for background checks. While the hackers allegedly tried selling the stolen data, they have since posted much of it online for free.
Gregory Luehrs of Wynnewood is taking action. “Really just focusing on freezing my credit scores and changing my passwords and staying safe.”
That’s precisely the advice of expert Rob D’Ovidio. “We’re really concerned because of social security information is was allegedly compromised address information all going back 30 years.”
Here’s what you should do to protect your information:
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Freeze Your Credit: Place a freeze on your credit reports with the three major credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. This prevents criminals from opening new accounts in your name.
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Check Your Credit Report: Obtain a free copy of your credit report from each of the credit bureaus. Scrutinize it for any unauthorized activity.
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Protect Your Children: Consider taking these steps for your children as well, as their information may also be at risk.
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Consider Credit Monitoring: If possible, sign up for a free credit monitoring service to receive alerts about suspicious activity.
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Set up Fraud Alerts: Even if you can’t get monitoring, a fraud alert on your account with the credit bureaus is helpful.
“If someone’s going to open an account in your name, and they’ve run a credit check to do that, you get alerted, and you have to approve that account,” explains D’Ovidio.
- Dark Web Scans: Both Google and Experian offer services that can scan the dark web for your personal information.
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Check the Breach Database: Use a free tool from Pentester, a cybersecurity firm, to see if your information is in the breached National Public Data files.
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Enable Two-Factor Authentication: Ensure all your online accounts require two-factor authentication for an extra layer of security.
Remember: taking these steps can significantly reduce your risk of identity theft during this data breach crisis.
For more information:
- ID Protection Tips: IdentityTheft.gov
- Step By Step Guide to Freezing your Credit Files: PIRG.org
- National Public Data Breach Check: NPD.pentester.com
