09 September, 2017
"I'm not giving you more information.' So, I got nervous to be honest, and I didn't check", said one consumer.
Consider freezing your credit reports.
The FTC says the breach lasted from mid-May through July. Hackers also stole the credit card numbers of 209,000 people and dispute documents with personal identifying information for about 182,000 people.
Many possible victims are now feeling helpless. The AG says he's sent a letter to Equifax to find out more.
What is also particularly damaging is that the hackers have decamped with such sensitive info as social security numbers, birth dates and also driving license numbers for some, besides of course the names and addresses.
The Attorney General urges anyone using the Equifax website only to do so on a secured computer and make sure they use the correct website, ensuring it includes the "s" in "https:" for security with no changes to the spelling or domain.
Equifax revealed Thursday that the personal information of as many as 143 million Americans - or almost half the country - has been compromised. Accounts or activity that you don't recognize could indicate identity theft. This freeze should not impact your daily activities unless you plan to take out a mortgage, finance a vehicle or open a new credit card account.
Also Friday, U.S. Representative Jeb Hensarling, a Texas Republican who is chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, said he would call for congressional hearings on the Equifax breach. Checking your accounts daily was already a good safeguard against fraud, but now, it's essential, especially once the hack has stopped appearing in the daily news cycle and criminals think you've let your guard down.
Equifax's competitor, Experian, is saying it will give you free credit monitoring for a year, if you sign up with Experian.
Monitor you existing credit card and bank accounts closely for charges you don't recognize. "It doesn't matter whether if you've had credit 20 years ago or if you just started, if there's a file on you, you could be part of the breach". The theft of the Social Security numbers of half the people in the United States may be the biggest of its kind.
