Looks like we’ll be looking into freezing our credit with the different agencies. We haven’t needed credit in many years, so might as well. Thank you at @OHMomof2 for the link to the article. I was just gonna ask what the difference is between a lock and a freeze, so that was helpful.
https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/ - once you have an account it’s an easy user/pass thing to freeze/unfreeze.
https://www.transunion.com/credit-freeze - also an easy login system
https://www.experian.com/freeze/center.html - takes the longest, asks for more info every time, plus you need to save pin. I kept the paper and also a pdf.
I went also did Chexsystems and another one that deals with utility credit checks, but keep those frozen since I don’t need to unfreeze for credit cards or typical loans. I did have to unfreeze Chexsystems to open a new checking account last year, but it was also done online and easy.
So https://www.chexsystems.com/web/chexsystems/consumerdebit/page/securityfreeze/information/
Thank you @OHMomof2 and others who have provided links and useful information on credit freezes. I woke up this morning to the news that Capital One has been hacked and 100 million (100 MILLION!) of us have been compromised. I spent 15 minutes freezing my credit with the big 3. It was “easy” and painless.
Thanks so much @OHMomof2!
I’m part of the Capital One breach now too. Ugh! I just used the info you provided and froze my accounts. Now I need to do the same for my elderly parents (I’m their POA) and we need to do our D as well.
Do you have to unfreeze your credit to file taxes online? We also pay quarterly taxes…I can’t seem to find an answer.
@twogirls you do not have to unfreeze your credit to file taxes online.
Re the Capital One breach:
From https://www.capitalone.com/facts2019/
Additional FAQs: https://www.capitalone.com/facts2019/2/
So nothing compromised. EXCEPT 140,000 SSN an 80000 account numbers.
Nothing.
Yeah, I agree @twoinanddone, they act like that’s nothing, but it isn’t to me if I’m one of the 140,000 or 80,000! Geesh.
So, what if they can access my bank account with the info they obtained? Then what? So, now I gotta go talk to my bank to see what all happens on their end to protect my bank account from unauthorized access.
The social security numbers that were compromised were on applications for business credit, where the applicants chose to use their personal social security number rather than employer ID number. So, for now, you know if your SS# was compromised if you chose to do that. Although the info posted by Capital One indicates that they are also contacting the customers directly.
Oh, good, we applied for the Capital One credit card for our business in 1999 or so. We should be OK.
DH applied for a business card sometime in the last 15 years. Unfortunately, he can’t remember if he used his SSN or EIN to apply. He’s retired now, so the address and EIN (if used) are no longer valid - other info would be.
I read the bank accounts were compromised only for those with secured cards.
But IMO this is the new normal. My old passwords and other info have been in a bunch of breaches already.
The freezes, and filing taxes early, seem to e the best defense for now.
And never reusing passwords.
The reality is that social security numbers have been in all sorts of poorly secured databases for ages. It used to be that colleges would use the SS # as a tracking number for applicants, and would even ask prospective students to volunteer the social on paper postcards sent in to request info. The social was also routinely as an id for health insurance, printed on the insurance id card. It is only within the last couple of years that Medicare issued different id numbers. Plus even now the anyone running a credit check will ask for that info… that would include rental agents and used car dealers, their employees, etc. So I honestly don’t think that info has ever been particularly well protected.
Not in any way an excuse for poor security practices that allow a data breach… but the point is that very little of our personal info is secret, with or without a breach.
People used to put their SSN on all kinds of public lists. It was my student ID number in college. My daughter played hockey as a 10 year old and it was asked for on all the standard forms, along with a copy of her birth certificate, so all the info was right there in one convenient file for thieves. One of the biggest sources of fraud in the tax files was from SSN and other info stolen from dentist offices in Florida.
We used to have to put ssn on checks at the grocery store.
An update from the FTC - this is total BS, IMO:
https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/cases-proceedings/refunds/equifax-data-breach-settlement
Equifax should pay whatever it takes to reimburse everyone.
When I went to college my dad engraved my social security number on the back of my stereo receiver and tape deck in case someone stole it. What a great idea… They’re both still in a corner of my basement, 30 years later, because I haven’t figured out how to dispose of them yet.
I wasn’t compromised in the Equifax one but my husband was. I think I may suggest he go for the protection rather than the $125. When my credit cards were stolen last year the monitoring was very expensive. https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/31/tech/equifax-ftc-money/index.html
Now I wonder if I’m affected by the capital one thing. Sigh.
Use a nail or a file to scratch over the SSN until it is illegible, then take them to Best Buy, they will recycle them for free.
We have frozen our credit as well. I just had to temporarily unfreeze one when I applied for a new credit card recently and the process was quick and easy. I think it’s probably the best of the options we have right now to try to keep our identity safe(ish).