Equifax Breach

[SlugSlinger]

Equifax Announces Cybersecurity Incident Involving Consumer Information








No Evidence of Unauthorized Access to Core Consumer or Commercial Credit Reporting Databases
Company to Offer Free Identity Theft Protection and Credit File Monitoring to All U.S. Consumers
September 7, 2017 — Equifax Inc. (NYSE: EFX) today announced a cybersecurity incident potentially impacting approximately 143 million U.S. consumers. Criminals exploited a U.S. website application vulnerability to gain access to certain files. Based on the company’s investigation, the unauthorized access occurred from mid-May through July 2017. The company has found no evidence of unauthorized activity on Equifax’s core consumer or commercial credit reporting databases.

The information accessed primarily includes names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses and, in some instances, driver’s license numbers. In addition, credit card numbers for approximately 209,000 U.S. consumers, and certain dispute documents with personal identifying information for approximately 182,000 U.S. consumers, were accessed. As part of its investigation of this application vulnerability, Equifax also identified unauthorized access to limited personal information for certain UK and Canadian residents. Equifax will work with UK and Canadian regulators to determine appropriate next steps. The company has found no evidence that personal information of consumers in any other country has been impacted.

Read More

https://www.equifaxsecurity2017.com/

 

[tomthebaker]

Crap. I hope I'm not one of the lucky ones who lost info.

 

[SlugSlinger]

It appears my wife may have been impacted. I signed her up for the free credit monitoring. When I checked mine, it just offered the free monitoring, but didn't mention a breach, I just need to return in a week to sign up for the free monitoring.

As an FYI, you and your spouse can get 3 free credit reports, each, annually. I would encourage you to use this free service and spread out the inquiries over 12 months. If you use https://www.annualcreditreport.com/index.action it is truly free, just don't request your credit score, because I believe there is a charge for that. This site is recommended by Clark Howard. http://clark.com/personal-finance-credit/free-credit-report-info/

 

[Hobbes]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...utives-sold-stock-before-revealing-cyber-hack

 

[SMS]

This sh$t is getting ridiculous

 

[SlugSlinger]

Credit Freeze Guide: The best way to protect yourself against identity theft
Clark Howard2017-06-01T14:55:00+00:00">June 1, 2017 10:55 am" class="date" style="margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; font-size: 1em !important; display: inline !important;">June 1, 2017 10:55 am
Credit freezes are one of the most effective ways for consumers to protect themselves against identity theft.

What exactly is a credit freeze?
A credit freeze allows you to seal your credit reports and use a personal identification number (PIN) that only you know and can use to temporarily “thaw” your credit when legitimate applications for credit and services need to be processed. The added layer of security means that thieves can’t establish new credit in your name even if they are able to obtain your personal information.

Freezing your credit files has no impact whatsoever on your existing lines of credit, such as credit cards. You can continue to use them as you regularly would even when your credit is frozen.

Freezes have been available for free to victims of identity theft for some years, but recently all three of the major credit bureaus adopted new rules that now allow non-victims to have access to credit freezes as well for a small fee. In addition, most states and Puerto Rico have adopted laws establishing credit freezes for residents of their state.

Residents of various states may also freeze the credit reports of their minor children. Visit the National Conference of State Legislatures to see what the law is in your state.

The cost ranges from about $3 to $10 per person per bureau to freeze a credit report; a couple of states have higher fees.

*When you do a credit freeze, it is imperative that you freeze your credit with all three bureaus.*

The cost to “thaw” your reports for one creditor — or for a specific period of time — ranges from free to $10.

Four states remove your credit freeze automatically after seven years. These states are Kentucky, Nebraska, Pennsylvania and South Dakota.
In most states, your credit freeze remains permanently on your files until you request removal. But not so in the states listed above, according to the Consumers Union’s guide to security freeze protection.

If you’re a resident of one of these states, pay close attention. You’ll need to set some kind of calendar reminder for seven years from the date of placement. That will serve as a reminder to refresh your credit freeze status before it drops off your radar completely and you go months or years without this key protection against identity theft!

When shouldn’t you freeze your credit?
If your credit reports are accessed often for work or because you create new accounts with various financial institutions on a regular basis, it is not recommended that you freeze your accounts. The costs to regularly “thaw” your reports would tend to be excessive.

Below you’ll find directions and links to assist you in obtaining your credit freeze or thaw from each major bureau:

EQUIFAX CREDIT FREEZE – [Equifax Website]

EXPERIAN CREDIT FREEZE – [Experian Website]

• Credit freezes may be done online; by certified mail – return receipt requested; or by calling 1-888-EXPERIAN (1-888-397-3742). When calling, press 2 then follow prompts for security freeze.
• Check your state’s listing for the exact cost of your credit freeze and to see if there is a reduction in cost if you are a senior citizen.
• Request your credit freeze by certified mail using this sample letter. Please note the attachments you must include.
• You can also freeze a child’s credit report. The information contained at this link is applicable for all three credit bureaus. You must first write a letter to each bureau to learn if your minor child has a credit report and if so, then you can proceed to freeze it.
• Unfreeze: Do a temporary thaw of your Experian credit freeze online or by calling 1-888-397-3742.
• Info on freezing a child’s credit with Experian can be found here.
• If requesting a freeze by mail, use the following address:
  • Experian
    P.O. Box 9554
    Allen, TX. 75013

TRANSUNION CREDIT FREEZE – [TransUnion website]

• Credit freezes may be done online, by phone (1-888-909-8872) or by certified mail – return receipt requested. (Some users have reported difficulty with the online method. Please try one of the other options if you too experience difficulty.)
• Check your state’s listing for the exact cost of your credit freeze and to see if there is a reduction in cost if you are a senior citizen.
• Request your credit freeze by certified mail using this sample letter. Please note the attachments you must include.
• Unfreeze: Do a temporary thaw of your TransUnion credit freeze online or by calling 1-888-909-8872.
• Info on freezing a child’s credit with TransUnion can be found here.
• If requesting a freeze by mail, use the following address:
  • TransUnion Protected Consumer Freeze
    P.O. Box 380
    Woodlyn, PA. 19094

*YOU CAN ALSO FREEZE YOUR CHEXSYSTEM REPORT*

Visit ChexSystems.com and to submit your request online.

Special thanks to our listeners Carrie and Ed for their input into this guide.

A new option for free credit monitoring

 

[John6185]

My credit reports at all credit agencies are frozen and supposedly, no one can get my credit report without knowing a code they gave me when I locked it up. Unless I unlock it, I can't buy anything on credit. Usually, I'll unlock the credit report temporarily for a week until I buy something...say a car and it'll freeze again automatically after the 7 day period.
The problem is, can anyone else get my info? I'm really not sure because of all the breeches they've had lately. It would seem that any credit agency breeched would be liable and in this case that the OP posted, they'd go bankrupt if enough damage was done to people's credit.

 

[dennishoddy]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...utives-sold-stock-before-revealing-cyber-hack

It's been awhile, and things may have changed, but I did some research years ago when I was day trading stocks thinking that one company management was manipulating the stock prices by selling and buying at opportune times. The stock prices were like a saw blade, high, low, high, low with predictable time sequences.
What I found was that at certain levels of company management, they are prevented by federal law from selling stocks without going through a process that prevents them from exercising their stock options or shares of open stock on a whim or using insider trading knowledge.....legally. I could get online and look when the upper management sold and bought company stocks, and it had no bearing on the stock prices that I could see.
Not sure what the law is now. I'm sure somebody here does.

 

[Chuckie]

My credit reports at all credit agencies are frozen and supposedly, no one can get my credit report without knowing a code they gave me when I locked it up. Unless I unlock it, I can't buy anything on credit. Usually, I'll unlock the credit report temporarily for a week until I buy something...say a car and it'll freeze again automatically after the 7 day period.
The problem is, can anyone else get my info? I'm really not sure because of all the breeches they've had lately. It would seem that any credit agency breeched would be liable and in this case that the OP posted, they'd go bankrupt if enough damage was done to people's credit.

One rule to always keep in mind is that anything on the web, on your cell phone, or in the cloud can be obtained by others not authorized to do so. Never believe the marketing hype that your information is absolutely secure.

 

[Boehlertaught]

Some geek needs to invent, write, etc a program that causes the hackers computer to automatically self destruct and eliminate everything from that face of the earth that is within 10 feet of the computer.