Data Breaches

You may have noticed increased media coverage surrounding data breaches. Unfortunately, these are becoming more common. The best line of defense is to learn how to protect your information. If you do receive a notification that your personal information was exposed in a data breach, there are a few steps you can take now to help protect yourself.

  • If your information has been compromised in a data breach, you may be offered a credit monitoring service for free. Take advantage of this offer! This service will regularly review your credit report for signs of fraud or identity theft and notify you if something is detected allowing you to act quickly and minimize any damage.
  • Get a free copy of your credit report from AnnualCreditReport.com. If you see any inaccuracies, dispute them with the credit bureau that prepared the report. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau offers instructions and template letters to help guide you through the process.
  • If you suspect fraud or identity theft, you can place a fraud alert on your credit report at no cost for one year. With a fraud alert in place, a lender must take extra steps to verify your identity before issuing credit. You can initiate the fraud alert by contacting any of the three major credit bureaus-Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Once you contact one credit bureau, they will notify the other two bureaus of the fraud alert.
  • You can also limit access to your credit by placing a credit freeze with each of the three major credit bureaus. (You must contact each bureau separately to have a freeze put on each individual report.) This free service restricts access to your credit. While it’s in place, no one can open a new line of credit. You can, however, temporarily lift the freeze if you need to apply for credit. The credit freeze will remain in place until you remove it. (A credit lock is similar but comes with additional services, like credit monitoring, that you must pay for.)
  • If your financial account information was exposed in a data breach, contact your financial institution to report identity theft. They will work with you to identify any suspicious activity on your account, cancel and re-issue credit and debit cards, and even change your account number, if needed.
  • If your Social Security number was exposed, you might consider setting up an E-Verify account to lock your Social Security number. E-Verify is a system that is used by employers to verify your eligibility to work in the United States. Locking your SSN can help prevent someone using your SSN fraudulently for employment purposes. 

The Federal Trade Commission offers specific resources to help guide you. Check your accounts regularly, monitor your credit score for changes, and review your credit report from each of the major credit bureaus. (Currently you can check your reports every week for free.) The best thing you can do to protect your identity is to remain vigilant.

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(October 2024)