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Honored Contributor
Posts: 17,655
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Equifax Hacked, Over 143M Accounts Exposed

[ Edited ]

In one of the articles I read it's suggested that every 4 months you request a report from one of the credit reporting agencies so you keep a monitoring of your credit information throughout the year. Each agency's report is free once a year.

☼The best place to seek God is in a garden. You can dig for him there. GBShaw☼
Honored Contributor
Posts: 34,520
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Equifax Hacked, Over 143M Accounts Exposed

We got hacked in the EQUIFAX hacking.

just read your emails and check your accounts (and account numbers of your accounts) CAREFULLY.

 

They (whoever had hacked the EQUIFAX system) used an OLD cc# in our case. 

We received a letter from ? that looked authentic. DH wasn't thinking and clicked on the link.

 

Fraudulent charge was to EQUIFAX itself for $216. Also a bogus Adobe charge. Both were credited back to us.

 

DH said the hacker was probably stashing the stolen money collected in the EQUIFAX account. Something very fishy here because we then got solicited by EQUIFAX to purchase some kind of fraud insurance. ???

~Have a Kind Heart, Fierce Mind, Brave Spirit~
Honored Contributor
Posts: 17,655
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Equifax Hacked, Over 143M Accounts Exposed

NYT has an article with the direct links to the 3 credit reporting agencies to establish a credit freeze on your account.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/08/your-money/identity-theft/equifaxs-instructions-are-confusing-her...

 

In the body of the article is a paragraph starting with 'In the meantime,  here's hoping that this breach...' is where you find the direct links to do a security freeze.

☼The best place to seek God is in a garden. You can dig for him there. GBShaw☼
Frequent Contributor
Posts: 104
Registered: ‎04-09-2013

Re: Equifax Hacked, Over 143M Accounts Exposed


@JustJazzmom wrote:

NYT has an article with the direct links to the 3 credit reporting agencies to establish a credit freeze on your account.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/08/your-money/identity-theft/equifaxs-instructions-are-confusing-her...

 

In the body of the article is a paragraph starting with 'In the meantime,  here's hoping that this breach...' is where you find the direct links to do a security freeze.


 

 

Thanks @JustJazzmom!

 

 

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,156
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Equifax Hacked, Over 143M Accounts Exposed


@SahmIam wrote:

@ElvisShops wrote:

@SaRina wrote:

@SahmIam wrote:

As usual, those with the knowledge and money will do whatever they can to keep their money. And people wonder why more and more of society wants to see the high and mighty fall...

 

I entered my info and was told my info was compromised. Ah well. My info has been hacked due to BCBS, the government and so many other places that supposedly was keeping it safe...what's one more place?


@Sahmlam, so what do you do to keep your finances safe?.... if you don't mind my asking.


@Sahmlam, did your message say specifically that you had been hacked or did it give you an enrollment date? I got an enrollment date. 


Both. Legally. I use my maiden name (never changed it when I married). Under that name and SS, it comes up "I am enrolled blah blah blah" for the free coverage. That tells me I was most likely NOT hacked under that name/info.

 

HOWEVER, when I type in my married name and SS, it comes up, "We're sorry, it appears your info has been compromised" and then I can enroll by such and such date. The married name comes up on my credit check as we use those that on health care coverage via my husband (it's easier to simply use his last name) and some credit cards have it listed along with my maiden name (Jane Smith Jones). The fact that my MARRIED name was hacked doesn't surprise me because of all the other hacks where our info was stolen courtesy of my husbands' employer and who he works with/under (government agencies). So....long story short, there is chance that because of THOSE hacks, that is why I'm getting the message my info was comprised. It may have nothing to do with the current situation but the ones that have already happened. Who knows.

 

Does that make sense?


It does. I'm sorry this has happened. It appears there is no way to get around the threat of a data hack. 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 14,092
Registered: ‎01-02-2011

Re: Equifax Hacked, Over 143M Accounts Exposed


@momtochloe wrote:

On my way to looking up something else I ran across an article that recommended this site for credit monitoring:

 

https://www.annualcreditreport.com/index.action

 

It states on the site that it is the only one authorized by federal law in terms of credit reporting.  Has anyone ever heard/used this site?


I have, @momtochloe, although not for a while.  I would check a report from one of the bureaus and then check another one in four months, rinse and repeat.  I did freeze the four credit bureaus today, all online, no fees for me.  The CHEX one is interesting and I plan on checking it out further tomorrow.  It appears to be more to do with checking and bank accounts.  There was also an option on the site to stop credit card and insurance offers in the mail.  You can choose a five year stop online or request a permanent stop by mailing them.  Apparently you may still receive some offers though because not all of the companies use CHEX.  

 

 

Valued Contributor
Posts: 514
Registered: ‎08-18-2015

Re: Equifax Hacked, Over 143M Accounts Exposed

As it turns out, Equifax didn't install a security update earlier this spring and there was another "incident" (Equifax isn't calling it a breach) in March.

 

I hope Elizabeth Warren gets her way about putting these companies under stronger oversight.  Equifax has been actively lobbying for less oversight and limits to its legal exposure/liability for breaches.

Valued Contributor
Posts: 514
Registered: ‎08-18-2015

Re: Equifax Hacked, Over 143M Accounts Exposed

The consumer reporter for NBC Washington recommended getting the 90-day fraud alert to tide you over until the credit freeze goes into effect. 

 

Equifax HAS waived the credit freeze fee for the next 30 days.  Experian and TransUnion have NOT followed suit yet.

 

However, credit freezes are FREE if you have been the victom of ID theft (you need to send them a copy of your police report).  In PA, the fee is waived for ppl over age 65.

 

I'm enrolled in CreditKarma, Credit Sesame, and Quizzle.  All 3 sent emails shortly after Equifax announced its data breach and my credit reports look clean.  Discover and BoA include FICO scores on monthly credit card stmts.

 

I also recommend submitting IRS Form 14039, "Identity Theft Affadavit".  Early next year, the IRS will send you a letter w/6-digit PIN code that you will need to enter on your tax return.

Valued Contributor
Posts: 514
Registered: ‎08-18-2015

Re: Equifax Hacked, Over 143M Accounts Exposed

Yes, the SEC is investigating potential insider trading by Equifax execs.  They really should have known better, esp CFO.  My company was vry strict about this - you could sell stock only during open window periods shortly after each quarterly filing.

 

Ironically, the SEC itself was hacked, so ppl could have gotten access to non-public info before it was offically posted to their website and made $$$ via insider trading.

Valued Contributor
Posts: 514
Registered: ‎08-18-2015

Re: Equifax Hacked, Over 143M Accounts Exposed

The reality is the credit bureaus see us as products (data) they can sell, not as consumers.  It's not like we have a choice in the matter.