Q & A
How can I protect myself in a security breach involving Social Security numbers?
Answer: In the past few weeks, computer-savvy thieves have been out in force, picking through personal information left behind at doctors offices, stores, and government offices, stealing everything from Social Security numbers to credit and debit card numbers. What can you do if you’ve been affected by a breach or fear that you have?
• Call an institution that’s been part of a breach and ask if you were involved. They also send letters.
• If your credit card was involved, your bank will give you a new one if you ask, but setting up automatic payments all over again can be a pain.
• Set up your bank account so you receive an alert on your cellphone for any purchase above a certain amount. Keep in mind that thieves often start charging small amounts, figuring you would look past them.
• A list of recent breaches is available at privacyrights.org.
If there’s a chance your information was compromised in a breach, the company might offer you a free service that will monitor your accounts for incorrect charges and check your credit report routinely.
• On your own, you can watch your accounts daily or get immediate alerts about any charge a person makes on your account.
• Contact Equifax credit reporting agency toll-free at 1-800-525-6285 and establish a 90-day fraud alert on your credit file. Equifax will alert the other credit reporting agencies: Innovis, Experian and TransUnion. Each might have different records, so involve all of them.
• Request and examine your credit reports from all four agencies. You will get reports free because you established a fraud alert.
• Report thefts to the Federal Trade Commission, your local police department, banks, credit unions, utilities and cellphone companies, and fill out an identity theft affidavit with the IRS and state tax department.
• To go even further after a hacking, you can tell Equifax or another credit bureau you want to put a freeze on your account. This means no one, including yourself, will be able to open a new credit card, get a car loan or mortgage, or any other credit while the freeze is on.
This can be aggravating if you forget about the freeze, but you can lift it if you know you will be applying for a loan. Check on any fees in advance.
Source: Tampa Bay Times – 9/12/2014
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