Identity Theft Protection

[BLADEMDA]

With 140 million accounts being stolen by hackers I think it may be time to start a subscription to an identity theft protection service.

Any opinions?

How to find out if you're affected by the Equifax hack

You may have never used Equifax yourself -- or even heard of it -- but the credit reporting agency could still have a treasure trove of your personal information.
Equifax said Thursday that 143 million people could be affected by a recent data breach in which cybercriminals stole information including names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses, and the numbers of some driver's licenses.

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[GravelRider]

There is some chatter online that if you use the Equifax website to look up your vulnerability to theft and participate in their "free" one year subscription of credit monitoring, you are agreeing to waive your rights to participate in a class action lawsuit. There are conflicting reports about the legality of that and I have not read the fine print on Equifax's website.

I'm currently looking into freezing my credit. Although, with data being stolen from an actual credit agency's database, I'm not sure how effective it is.

Credit Freeze FAQs

 

[Twiggidy]

There is some chatter online that if you use the Equifax website to look up your vulnerability to theft and participate in their "free" one year subscription of credit monitoring, you are agreeing to waive your rights to participate in a class action lawsuit. There are conflicting reports about the legality of that and I have not read the fine print on Equifax's website.

I'm currently looking into freezing my credit. Although, with data being stolen from an actual credit agency's database, I'm not sure how effective it is.

Credit Freeze FAQs

Yeah. I've taken not of all of this. I'm trying to figure what to do. I don't think I'm doing their credit monitoring but considering a freeze.

I guess another reason to always monitor you credit reports as well

 

[aneftp]

My sister up in Maryland got identity theft and found out last September when 12 credit cards were opened in her name our west Las Vegas.

Worst of all. Looks like an illegal in Arizona decided to use her ssn for a work job and of course they got $3000 IRS taxes.

That's the scary thing. The credit cards are more easily fixed and resolved (although she's still dealing with credit collection trying to call her). But it's the IRS debt. $3000 isn't a big thing with her and the IRS. But the fact an illegal used it for a job. And dealing with the IRS to resolve it is another ballgame as well.

Check ur social security statements to make sure they match with ur year tax records

 

[Robotic Wis-Hipple]

I'm amazed actually that there isn't more rage over this. A credit bureau, the guys telling us and any potential creditor if we are responsible enough to loan money to etc and the ones preaching to us how to protect ourselves was using decades old security while they hold every piece of critical information about us. It's maddening.

 

[jthedestroyr]

With 140 million accounts being stolen by hackers I think it may be time to start a subscription to an identity theft protection service.

Any opinions?

How to find out if you're affected by the Equifax hack

You may have never used Equifax yourself -- or even heard of it -- but the credit reporting agency could still have a treasure trove of your personal information.
Equifax said Thursday that 143 million people could be affected by a recent data breach in which cybercriminals stole information including names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses, and the numbers of some driver's licenses.

lifelock interestingly might get my business now. i cannot think of a better monitoring. FYI if you worked for the VA a few years ago, they also lost all our info, including prints!!!! so theyve basically been giving monitoring for free to all of us that had secure info lost.

 

[jwk]

Single best thing you can do immediately is freeze your credit.

Equifax has totally messed this up - including their executives who sold stock three days after this hack occurred "but had no knowledge" that it had happened. The SEC has probably already had a visit with them.

 

[caligas]

I was lucky enough to opt into the IRS identity protection pin "pilot program" and now will always be able to get one. For some reason the IRS is very particular about who they will give a pin to, which seems ridiculous to me. But I guess it is the IRS.

 

[GravelRider]

I'm amazed actually that there isn't more rage over this. A credit bureau, the guys telling us and any potential creditor if we are responsible enough to loan money to etc and the ones preaching to us how to protect ourselves was using decades old security while they hold every piece of critical information about us. It's maddening.

We've become so used to this happening every few months. What is even more infuriating is that Equifax, a company we can't choose not to do business with, is trying to profit off this incident by having people sign up for their lame credit monitoring, which will cost money after the "free" year.

 

[G-Man82]

With the OPM one (VA) they gave us 10 years free of charge with My ID Care.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[jthedestroyr]

With the OPM one (VA) they gave us 10 years free of charge with My ID Care.


i knew it was a long time, i forgot what the email said. i guess thats still doesnt make up for them losing our ssn/dob/address/finger prints/ID pic.

got to love the va!

Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[Leinie]

With 140 million accounts being stolen by hackers I think it may be time to start a subscription to an identity theft protection service.

Any opinions?

How to find out if you're affected by the Equifax hack

You may have never used Equifax yourself -- or even heard of it -- but the credit reporting agency could still have a treasure trove of your personal information.
Equifax said Thursday that 143 million people could be affected by a recent data breach in which cybercriminals stole information including names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses, and the numbers of some driver's licenses.

What are your thoughts on the "gold standard" for identity protection? Is it better to use a service or try to freeze credit every year? In this day and age I feel like identity security is like buying disability or umbrella insurance and needs to be standard after a certain income level. I am wondering if I should do it for my kids as well. My daughter potentially had her information stolen during an insurance company breach years ago.

There is some chatter online that if you use the Equifax website to look up your vulnerability to theft and participate in their "free" one year subscription of credit monitoring, you are agreeing to waive your rights to participate in a class action lawsuit. There are conflicting reports about the legality of that and I have not read the fine print on Equifax's website.

I'm currently looking into freezing my credit. Although, with data being stolen from an actual credit agency's database, I'm not sure how effective it is.

Credit Freeze FAQs

The language in the FAQ this morning indicates that your legal rights are not comprised by using TrustedID:

"Do the TrustedID and Equifax Terms of Use limit my options related to the cyber security incident?


To confirm, enrolling in the free credit file monitoring and identity theft protection products that we are offering as part of this cybersecurity incident does not prohibit consumers from taking legal action. We have already removed that language from the Terms of Use on the site www.equifaxsecurity2017.com. The Terms of Use on www.equifax.com do not apply to the TrustedID Premier product being offered to consumers as a result of the cybersecurity incident. Again, to be as clear as possible, we will not apply any arbitration clause or class action waiver against consumers for claims related to the free products offered in response to the cybersecurity incident or for claims related to the cybersecurity incident itself."

Since I "naively" signed up for this on Friday I am sending my written opt out to the company. Apparently there is a 30 day window to opt out. Better safe than sorry.

Leinie

 

[Man o War]

I was lucky enough to opt into the IRS identity protection pin "pilot program" and now will always be able to get one. For some reason the IRS is very particular about who they will give a pin to, which seems ridiculous to me. But I guess it is the IRS.

Yes, people should call the IRS and try to get a pin assigned to file taxes each year. My social security number was used to file a return a few years ago and it was an absolute nightmare to get it corrected. We got our return October of that year, and filed in march. We receive a pin in the mail each year now from the IRS, our return cannot be filed without it.

 

[sigrhoillusion]

Single best thing you can do immediately is freeze your credit.

Equifax has totally messed this up - including their executives who sold stock three days after this hack occurred "but had no knowledge" that it had happened. The SEC has probably already had a visit with them.

Definitely getting an SEC visit... Then probably a visit from Trump to join his admin... Maybe run The Fed since Cohn is no longer being considered...

 

[abolt18]

My wife and I just froze our credit on the three companies. We should have no need for a new line of credit or checking of credit until at least 3.5 years from now.