Was I affected by the Equifax data breach? How do I protect myself?

The chaos of the Equifax data breach has left nearly every American feeling violated and confused. Hackers stole Social Security Numbers, birthdates, addresses, driver’s license numbers, and credit card numbers. Now they can use this information to rack up charges, open new accounts, steal benefit checks, and more.

Secure payment processing through merchant services can limit fraud, but mainly protects information being transferred not information stored in computer systems. The liability in this case stands with Equifax. You need to take action ,if you haven’t already, to find out if you were affected and take action to protect yourself.

Did the Hackers Get Your Info?

Equifax lost the trust of 143 million Americans, or about half the country. Are hackers targeting your identity right now? To find out, you must register at EquifaxSecurity2017.com. Equifax will assess the risk of identity fraud and suggest your next steps.

Six Ways to Protect Yourself:

The Equifax data breach is just one of several recent incidents. The merchant services industry relies on upgrades and patches to keep technology up to date. When organizations fall behind on security and compliance, consumers lose out.

While you can’t get your personal information back, you can take action to guard yourself. Here are some extra layers of protection:

1. Register at EquifaxSecurity2017.com. The data breach gives you free credit monitoring for one year.
2. Freeze your credit reports. Contact Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian to stop scammers from opening new accounts in your name. You can lift the freeze at any time.
3. Place a flag on your driver’s license. The Department of Motor Vehicles can watch for suspicious activity.
4. File your taxes early in 2018. If the hackers have your Social Security Number, they may try to claim your tax refund before you can.
5. Check your statements regularly. Report unauthorized transactions to your lender or credit card company.
6. Download your free credit reports each year. AnnualCreditReport.com gives you access to credit history from the three major reporting bureaus.