topic Re: Equifax credit breach and placing a credit freeze in Community Chat

Equifax credit breach and placing a credit freeze

KathyPet — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 05:25:09 GMT

The message I received from the web site Equifax set up indicates that my information was compromised. I do not trust them to "monitor my credit". I have no confidence in their ability to protect my data so I decided to put a freeze on my Equifax credit file. I went on line today to place that freeze and discovered that they charge $10.00 to do so. I paid the $10.00. but the fact that they charge for doing this when they allowed my information to be compromised just sticks in my craw.

Re: Equifax credit breach and placing a credit freeze

SarahW — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 05:32:00 GMT

@KathyPet wrote:
The message I received from the web site Equifax set up indicates that my information was compromised. I do not trust them to "monitor my credit". I have no confidence in their ability to protect my data so I decided to put a freeze on my Equifax credit file. I went on line today to place that freeze and discovered that they charge $10.00 to do so. I paid the $10.00. but the fact that they charge for doing this when they allowed my information to be compromised just sticks in my craw.

I agree, they should be made to pay! Also, I believe the recommendation is to put the freeze on all three major credit reporting agencies since compromised information could be used fraudulently. So that will cost $30, plus additional fees if you ever want to "unfreeze" the reporting in the future. Ugh.

Re: Equifax credit breach and placing a credit freeze

Kachina624 — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 07:05:52 GMT

@KathyPet I don't understand how a freeze benefits you if they already got the pertinent info they'd need to open credit in your name. What did you freeze?

Sounds like locking the barn after the horse has been stolen.

Re: Equifax credit breach and placing a credit freeze

Snowpuppy — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 05:35:10 GMT

I've had a freeze across all 3 of my reports for years. It does irk me that my state allows them to charge $10 to place and another $10 to lift it so I can apply for credit.

It's the best thing I've done to protect from ID theft. I don't bother with monitoring or life lock. If they couldn't keep ypur data safe before, why trust them now?

I only have 2 major cc's and have alerts on both. Easy to set up on your card profile.

Re: Equifax credit breach and placing a credit freeze

kitcat51 — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 05:41:46 GMT

I haven't received an email saying my info was compromised but thinking about freezing mine too. I heard Equifax would do this for free but the catch is you must give up the right to sue, that seems unfair to me. Also heard that you must freeze with all 3 credit reporting companies for the freeze to be effective. Did Equifax give you any additional information?

TIA.

Re: Equifax credit breach and placing a credit freeze

SydneyH — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 05:55:19 GMT

I haven't rec'd any notice from Equifax, I will wait for my credit card companies to ask for me to act.

Re: Equifax credit breach and placing a credit freeze

SarahW — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 06:06:29 GMT

@SydneyH wrote:
I haven't rec'd any notice from Equifax, I will wait for my credit card companies to ask for me to act.

The reporting freeze is to prevent anyone from obtaining NEW credit in your name, or buying real estate, etc. Your credit card companies would be of no help in those cases. Hackers with your information can also file false income taxes in your name to fraudulently get tax refunds. It's a big mess.

Re: Equifax credit breach and placing a credit freeze

tansy — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 06:14:07 GMT

I plan on freezing our credit tomorrow. There are actually four credit bureaus, one of which is small. I imagine a couple will have to both request the freeze and pay the fees.

@KathyPet -- you need to freeze your credit with at least the big three credit bureaus.

@SydneyH -- your CC company will only let you know if someone has breached your card, not if someone's attempting to open new credit cards, etc.

Re: Equifax credit breach and placing a credit freeze

kitcat51 — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 06:18:45 GMT

@tansy I didn't know about the 4th small company. Could you share the name of it? TIA

Re: Equifax credit breach and placing a credit freeze

momtochloe — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 06:29:30 GMT

@kitcat51 I believe this is the fourth company you may want to freeze your credit with:

https://www.innovis.com/personal/securityFreeze

eta: This is the original link that @tansy was kind enough to post:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/08/your-money/identity-theft/equifaxs-instructions-are-confusing-heres-what-to-do-now.html

Re: Equifax credit breach and placing a credit freeze

Shopchickie3 — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 07:06:48 GMT

I initially went on the eqifax site. I was told my info had been breached. I was directed that I could get the "free ID protection" and they gave me a date to access it. I did not like the setup- it didn't seem right. Luckily I did not follow thru on that.

I read on a major news site that eqiufax has a clause that if you sign up for their credit monitoring then you lose your right to sue in a class action suit. As if they are remedying the wrong done to consumers with the free monitoring, right?

Set up alerts on your individual cards .

Re: Equifax credit breach and placing a credit freeze

Shopchickie3 — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 07:10:52 GMT

Oh and also....the heads of equivalent sold their stock before this all came out and said they had no knowledge of the breach at that time??? I don't think so.

Enjoy prison!!!

Re: Equifax credit breach and placing a credit freeze

Shopchickie3 — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 07:11:58 GMT

I meant equifax. The spell check changed it to equivalent.

Re: Equifax credit breach and placing a credit freeze

grammarqueen — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 10:54:16 GMT

@kitcat51 wrote:
I haven't received an email saying my info was compromised but thinking about freezing mine too. I heard Equifax would do this for free but the catch is you must give up the right to sue, that seems unfair to me. Also heard that you must freeze with all 3 credit reporting companies for the freeze to be effective. Did Equifax give you any additional information?
TIA.

You aren't supposed to get an email, it is supposed to be a letter via the Post Office from Equifax. If you get an email from "Equifax", it is probably a fraudulent phishing site set up to steal your information. Either go through the Equifax website to find out or wait for a letter.

Re: Equifax credit breach and placing a credit freeze

Krimpette — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 11:19:53 GMT

I have a Discover card. They offer free social security number alerts (if someone tries to use my social security number). I signed up for that yesterday. Right now, I have more faith in them than in signing up with Equifax for their "monitoring".

Re: Equifax credit breach and placing a credit freeze

millieshops — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 11:25:39 GMT

@Kachina624I'm guessing the freeze probably works because the thieves don't want to pay to remove it, but it also is one more hoop for them to try to jump through and they'd have no way to know just how you asked to be notified if they try to open accounts. They got thousands of bits of info and are likely to use those easiest to work with. A freeze means delay - and lots of questions to answer to open new accounts - those answers aren't with the other info.

I had a 7-year freeze with all the reporting agencies after a snafu when I was moving - one helper tossed financial papers that should have gone through a shredder! No way to know what might have happened, so I did that freeze. It was a pain when I wanted credit, but it also was a brake on impulse credit in department stores and I felt safer, too. I had no costs involved, but it's possible my bank absorbed them.

Re: Equifax credit breach and placing a credit freeze

Witchy Woman — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 11:45:43 GMT

@millieshops

Did you get to select the amount of time the freeze was in force?

Just curious.

I haven't received any notification, but thinking that a LONG TERM freeze would be the way to go. Paying for one year is better than nothing, but I'd almost rather have a permanent or long freeze.

Haven't done anything yet, so trying to determine my best options.

Re: Equifax credit breach and placing a credit freeze

millieshops — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 11:51:27 GMT

@Witchy WomanAt the time I did my freeze, I don't believe there was a choice. If there'd been a choice, I'd have taken as many years as they'd allow. I sleep better with that extra layer of protection.

Re: Equifax credit breach and placing a credit freeze

Witchy Woman — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 11:54:18 GMT

@millieshops

I agree!

I rarely if ever apply for new cards or credits, so would rather just have it frozen until eternity

I get that you can unfreeze when necessary, but freezing it would eliminate the worry.

Almost anything else seems to cause another layer of putting your info out there, more worry, more breeches!

It's endless!

Re: Equifax credit breach and placing a credit freeze

jackthebear — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 11:59:37 GMT

how long before the CEo of the 3 companies /

are hauled infront of Congress to defend their sorry ass*s