PsychoSoldier
Banned
Via CNBC
Further info on what to do:
Equifax Inc., which supplies credit information and other information services, said Thursday that a data breach could have potentially affected 143 million consumers in the U.S.
The U.S. population was about 324 million as of January 1, 2017, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, which means the Equifax incident affects a huge portion of the United States.
Equifax said it discovered the breach on July 29. "Criminals exploited a U.S. website application vulnerability to gain access to certain files," the company said.
Shares of Equifax fell more than 5 percent during after-hours trading.
Leaked data includes names, birth dates, Social Security numbers, addresses and some driver's license numbers. The company added that 209,000 U.S. credit card numbers were also obtained, in addition to "certain dispute documents with personal identifying information for approximately 182,000 U.S. consumers."
Further info on what to do:
Put together some info.
How do I check if I am part of the data breach?
Keep two things in mind:
1- The site isn't exactly reliable in terms of telling you whether you have been affected or not.
2- If you ENROLL, it might prevent you from suing the company.
https://trustedidpremier.com/eligibility/eligibility.html
Your best bet is to assume you were affected by the hack.
Are Canadian/UKers affected?
Yes, but it is "limited personal information" according to Equifax.
Setting up a fraud alert:
An initial fraud alert can make it harder for an identity thief to open more accounts in your name. When you have an alert on your report, a business must verify your identity before it issues credit, so it may try to contact you. The initial alert stays on your report for at least 90 days. You can renew it after 90 days. It allows you to order one free copy of your credit report from each of the three credit reporting companies. Be sure the credit reporting companies have your current contact information so they can get in touch with you.
Links to do so:
TransUnion
Experian
EquiFax
Setting up a credit freeze:
When you set up a freeze, you will need to set up a PIN. You need the PIN in order to unfreeze the account. Don't lose the PIN!
Also known as a security freeze, this tool lets you restrict access to your credit report, which in turn makes it more difficult for identity thieves to open new accounts in your name. That's because most creditors need to see your credit report before they approve a new account. If they can't see your file, they may not extend the credit.
No. A credit freeze does not affect your credit score.
A credit freeze also does not:
- prevent you from getting your free annual credit report
- keep you from opening a new account, applying for a job, renting an apartment, or buying insurance. But if you're doing any of these, you'll need to lift the freeze temporarily, either for a specific time or for a specific party, say, a potential landlord or employer. The cost and lead times to lift a freeze vary, so it's best to check with the credit reporting company in advance.
- prevent a thief from making charges to your existing accounts. You still need to monitor all bank, credit card and insurance statements for fraudulent transactions.
A freeze remains in place until you ask the credit reporting company to temporarily lift it or remove it altogether. A credit reporting company must lift a freeze no later than three business days after getting your request. The cost to lift a freeze varies by state.
If you opt for a temporary lift because you are applying for credit or a job, and you can find out which credit reporting company the business will contact for your file, you can save some money by lifting the freeze only at that particular company.
Links:
-Cost by state.
-By phone:
Equifax — 1-800-349-9960
Experian — 1‑888‑397‑3742
TransUnion — 1-888-909-8872
-Online:
Equifax
Experian
TransUnion