Community Chat

[noodleann]

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@OfCourse wrote:

@noodleann  The difference between what you did and what I did is that my info was in the database while yours was not.

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You have no idea what they checked, though, or whether they actually checked. They can say anything, and just oopsie if it's wrong. Their poo-bahs are going to try to oopsie their way out of doing a massive and unplanned stock sell-off just after learning of the breach. I don't know if they use the same PR firm as United Airlines, but trying to do a money grab after failing to cure your security flaws certainly suggests the same boneheaded, tone-deaf MO.

Again, this goes to trust. I believe it is very unwise to trust Equifax. They've proven they're not trustworthy. A credit freeze is the most appropriate response to this, IMO.

[OfCourse]

@noodleann  I can't vouch for Equifax, but the fact remains that you (and the NYT reporter?) input bogus info while I input accurate info.  That's a distinct difference.

[noodleann]

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@OfCourse wrote:

@noodleann  I can't vouch for Equifax, but the fact remains that you (and the NYT reporter?) input bogus info while I input accurate info.  That's a distinct difference.

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Tis true, but the fact remains that inputting bogus information and getting a response that doesn't reject the info as bogus and is identical to those given to people inputting genuine data could be considered concerning, to use the current parlance.

Ice, ice, baby. 

[koolmimi29]

My SS was also possibly hacked...  I started to sign up for the free monitoring but then read the fine print and if there is a class action suit people who signed up will not be eligible so  I did not sign up...  

[OfCourse]

@noodleann  It doesn't concern me as much because they were able to return an answer for my real info.  I guess they'd have to explain how their program handles bogus queries.  I'm most interested in whether they handle real queries accurately.  I hope that is the case.

[OfCourse]

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@koolmimi29 wrote:

My SS was also possibly hacked...  I started to sign up for the free monitoring but then read the fine print and if there is a class action suit people who signed up will not be eligible so  I did not sign up...  

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Wow!  That's sleazy that they'd expose you and then offer protection in exchange for signing away your rights.

[SaRina]

I went ahead and froze my credit files, after which I heaved a sigh of relief. Still angry as heck, but relieved. 

I also put a two-point authentication procedure on my e-mail.  Gmail enables you to get a text or phone message with a numerical code that you have to input each time you sign in to your email -- in addition to your password.

I've changed all my passwords and will continue to closely monitor my financial accounts. I will be going to my banks on Monday to insist upon a second level of security for my accounts.

Someone has to be held accountable for this.... and, no, I would not trust Equifax as far as I can spit so I will not be enrolling in their complimentary 24/7, er, "protection" program come this Tuesday.

[noodleann]

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@OfCourse wrote:

@noodleann  It doesn't concern me as much because they were able to return an answer for my real info.  I guess they'd have to explain how their program handles bogus queries.  I'm most interested in whether they handle real queries accurately.  I hope that is the case.

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I hear you, @OfCourse. I default to "trust but verify" in a situation like this, which is an unprededented breach in terms of the scope of the exposed data--it's an identity thief's dream, and it affects at least half of us. Actually more, since the fortunes of those affect others. This really merits legislation, but that's a topic for another place.

 Back to trust but verify, since we can't verify, shutting the door, so to speak, is probably our only recourse. But everyone will do what seems right. The last thing we needed at this time was this revelation. 

[OfCourse]

Well, @noodleann, I will be looking for info about this going forward.  I do hope my answer was correct.

[NickNack]

I went to Equifax's website and put in the last six digits of my SS# (hesitated to put in 6 digits but did so--might not have done it if I'd thought about it more) to see if I was one of the ones that was affected by this.  It said it was highly likely that I was.

I was going to sign up for the free credit protection that Equifax is offering for a year.  My friend's husband said that if you do the free monitoring by Equifax that you then can’t sue them, you would have to have arbitration, and also means that you could not benefit from the class action suit already in progress.  He says that putting a freeze on your credit at all three major agencies is the best thing you can do.

I doubt I would ever sue them anyway, but think I'm going to freeze my credit instead.  She said that they give you an ID# and you can use that at any time to unfreeze it.