Are you a victim of the Equifax data breach?
Probably!!
Equifax, the credit reporting agency announced today that the personal credit information of 143 million United States consumers has been released in a massive data breach. This constitutes 57% of the entire adult population. So even though you may not have heard of Equifax, the odds are that you are now vulnerable to identity theft. If you have ever taken out a loan or credit card or bought anything on credit, your information was turned over to this credit reporting agency which has now lost it to hackers.
Since this is the exact information that is used to check for identity theft, your financial identity is now seriously at-risk unless you take immediate action:
1) Go to www.equifaxsecurity2017.com and click on the tab that says "Check Potential Impact." They will ask you for your name and last 6 digits of your social security number. Normally you would not give out your SS#, but in this case you should to find out if you are a victim.
2) If the website says you are not impacted be this breach, you can breathe easier, but you may still want to review CWAG's information on Detecting and Reporting Identity Theft.
3) If you are a victim you will get the following message:
Thank you
Based on the information provided, we believe that your personal information may have been impacted by this incident.
Click the button below to continue your enrollment in the TrustedID Premier.
For more information visit the FAQ page.
4) DO NOT sign up for the “free” credit monitoring until you review all your options (annual fee after first year; arbitration clause).
5) You should next put a fraud alert on your credit reports as follows: (free)
Experian Equifax TransUnion
PO Box 9554 PO Box 105788 PO Box 2000
Allen, TX 75013 Atlanta, GA 30348 Chester, PA 19016
1-888-397-3742 1-800-349-9960 1-888-909-8872
www.experian.com/freeze www.freeze.equifax.com https://freeze.transunion.com
7) Change all passwords and PINs on existing accounts (free).
8) Check your credit reports through AnnualCreditReport.com (free).
9) Watch for the class action lawsuits that you will be eligible to join.
Since this is the exact information that is used to check for identity theft, your financial identity is now seriously at-risk unless you take immediate action:
1) Go to www.equifaxsecurity2017.com and click on the tab that says "Check Potential Impact." They will ask you for your name and last 6 digits of your social security number. Normally you would not give out your SS#, but in this case you should to find out if you are a victim.
2) If the website says you are not impacted be this breach, you can breathe easier, but you may still want to review CWAG's information on Detecting and Reporting Identity Theft.
3) If you are a victim you will get the following message:
Thank you
Based on the information provided, we believe that your personal information may have been impacted by this incident.
Click the button below to continue your enrollment in the TrustedID Premier.
For more information visit the FAQ page.
4) DO NOT sign up for the “free” credit monitoring until you review all your options (annual fee after first year; arbitration clause).
5) You should next put a fraud alert on your credit reports as follows: (free)
- Equifax: Online or by calling 1-888-766-0008
- Experian: Online or by calling 1-888-397-3742
- TransUnion: Online or by calling 1-800-680-7289
Experian Equifax TransUnion
PO Box 9554 PO Box 105788 PO Box 2000
Allen, TX 75013 Atlanta, GA 30348 Chester, PA 19016
1-888-397-3742 1-800-349-9960 1-888-909-8872
www.experian.com/freeze www.freeze.equifax.com https://freeze.transunion.com
7) Change all passwords and PINs on existing accounts (free).
8) Check your credit reports through AnnualCreditReport.com (free).
9) Watch for the class action lawsuits that you will be eligible to join.
Four Indicted for Equifax Data Breach
For more than two years, CWAG has been working with victims of the Equifax data breach to protect them from further effects of this crime. Now the US has charged four members of China's military with the crime. This makes it look like part of the Chinese government's effort to acquire business and technology secrets in the U.S. and around the world.
For crime victims in Wisconsin, this highlights the need to further protect your identity, especially when you work with or interact with organizations involved in technology or other businesses. This may include changing and strengthening your passwords on email and other business-related accounts and adding two-factor authentication.
If you have security questions on your accounts, the data stolen in the Equifax breach may make it easier to hack your account. Secure answers to security questions would not involve past addresses or names of family members, because those items are exactly what was stolen from your credit file.
You may also be at risk for telephone or email spoofing or phishing. Please continue to watch the CWAG website for more ways to protect yourself from the Equifax data breach.
For crime victims in Wisconsin, this highlights the need to further protect your identity, especially when you work with or interact with organizations involved in technology or other businesses. This may include changing and strengthening your passwords on email and other business-related accounts and adding two-factor authentication.
If you have security questions on your accounts, the data stolen in the Equifax breach may make it easier to hack your account. Secure answers to security questions would not involve past addresses or names of family members, because those items are exactly what was stolen from your credit file.
You may also be at risk for telephone or email spoofing or phishing. Please continue to watch the CWAG website for more ways to protect yourself from the Equifax data breach.
Equifax Data Breach Settlement
Victims of the Equifax data breach have several options under the settlement announced July 22, 2019. Ever since this financial crime was revealed, CWAG’s Elder Financial Empowerment Project has held clinics around Wisconsin to assist victims of the most serious data breach in US history. Because Equifax is a credit reporting agency which has extensive personal and confidential information and because the majority of all US adults are confirmed to be victims, our victim assistance efforts have been substantial.
Our seven-step recovery plan for each victim has included a) determining if you are a victim; b) freezing your credit report with all three agencies and c) watching for the chance to join a class action lawsuit. This chance has now arrived. Victims can choose free credit monitoring (not as good as a free credit freeze but worthwhile) or a cash settlement of up to $125 (probably much less) or reimbursement for actual expenses (requires detailed documentation).
If you have questions about your options, please call the Elder Financial Empowerment Project at 1 (800) 488-2596.
Link to File Claim online
Printable Settlement Claim Form
Our seven-step recovery plan for each victim has included a) determining if you are a victim; b) freezing your credit report with all three agencies and c) watching for the chance to join a class action lawsuit. This chance has now arrived. Victims can choose free credit monitoring (not as good as a free credit freeze but worthwhile) or a cash settlement of up to $125 (probably much less) or reimbursement for actual expenses (requires detailed documentation).
If you have questions about your options, please call the Elder Financial Empowerment Project at 1 (800) 488-2596.
Link to File Claim online
Printable Settlement Claim Form