Equifax Data Breach

[rekees4300]

Equifax reported 143 million Americans had their information (Social Security numbers, birthdates, address histories, legal names) stolen by hackers. That's about 1/2 of the U.S. population!

To find out if you are involved and what to do: Equifax data breach may affect up to 143 million people - CNET

AP news article: Equifax breach: Criticism from lawmakers, what people can do

 

[TheMan419]

Yep I am lucky.... I can add Id theft ins to my home owners policy for $45 a year.

 

[QRTRHRS]

I tried that website that they supposedly have set up but could not get through the robot routine to get in. From what I have been reading I would not learn much even if I could have gotten in. Some of the articles out do not give me a warm and fuzzy feeling about Equifax stepping up to the plate over this.

 

[TheMan419]

I tried that website that they supposedly have set up but could not get through the robot routine to get in. From what I have been reading I would not learn much even if I could have gotten in. Some of the articles out do not give me a warm and fuzzy feeling about Equifax stepping up to the plate over this.

Literally all it told me was my data appeared to be compromised. Their advice is to sign up for credit monitoring and keep your eye on your accounts for suspicious activity.

I am buying id theft protection for additional protection since it is $45/yr.

Given the size of the data theft vs the adult population of the US of you have ever bought anything on credit your data was likely compromised.

 

[lennyzx11]

Please do your due diligence before visiting that site.
1. The credit monitoring service is only monitoring not protection.
2. In the fine print when you accept the free credit monitoring, you waive the right to participate in a class action lawsuit involving this matter.
3. If you do sign up, it will automatically renew and you will be charged after the one year free period is completed.

 

[JRobyn]

If you are worried about your credit being hacked or compromised, the simplest solution is just to FREEZE your credit at all 3 of the bureaus. The charge to do so is either zero or nominal. There is a (minor IMHO) penalty in that when you DO want to buy something on credit, you need to temporarily "unfreeze" your accounts.

 

[rekees4300]

I tried that website that they supposedly have set up but could not get through the robot routine to get in. From what I have been reading I would not learn much even if I could have gotten in. Some of the articles out do not give me a warm and fuzzy feeling about Equifax stepping up to the plate over this.

Rather ironic Equifax is suppose to be the bastion of security but they failed to be secure themselves. :thumbdown: Personally I consider all the credit bureaus to be thieves. They steal personal information without "customer" approval then they sell it. So what is the difference between the credit bureaus and hackers, they both have the same business model? :confused2: I put a FREEZE on my bureau accounts years ago and refuse to associate with those thieves. When a company refuses to sell something to me without a credit check I simply tell them NO. They usually seem to find a way to waive the credit check BS. If not it's a deal breaker and I take my business elsewhere.

 

[California]

I wonder if adding the homeowner's insurance option for resolving fraudulent charges might be a better strategy than paying Equifax to notify you if bogus charges appear - then leaving you to get the charges reversed.

Here's an extensive thread I read through last night. The comments added much. IT pros and credit managers uniformly condemned Equifax for outdated security and the way the company's principals sold their stock before notifying the public.

Equifax's charges to give you a current credit report (cost varies by state) will give them a huge windfall as people get concerned about new accounts opened without their knowledge. So for Equifax this panic is a profit opportunity, not a cost.

Remember their customers are the companies who want to know if you are a good credit risk, the public is not their customers and they don't really have any reason to protect your data. If you log in to get your credit report I think you have to sign a waiver that you won't join a class action suit but rather each claimant has to assemble their own claim details for their arbitrators to review individually. Good luck with that. Don't expect government to pursue them in your behalf, their lobbyists got to the state insurance regulators already. Big mess.

Monday I'll call my insurance agent. If the optional fraud coverage actually protects you similar to auto insurance, that's who I want representing me in refusing to pay for bogus credit cards taken out in my name. Any plan that simply informs you of a problem without representing you for recovery seems to me would be meaningless, wasted money.

 

[PILOON]

Please do your due diligence before visiting that site.
1. The credit monitoring service is only monitoring not protection.
2. In the fine print when you accept the free credit monitoring, you waive the right to participate in a class action lawsuit involving this matter.
3. If you do sign up, it will automatically renew and you will be charged after the one year free period is completed.

Good points.
2-- sleazy, who even understands most fine print written by lawyers.
3-- and they know that you will pay so as to not affect your rating! also sleaze IMHO

 

[California]

Per this article in a respected tech journal, Equifax's 'have you been hacked' website is completely bogus. It exists only to scare you into buying their credit monitoring scam (that only might inform you about someone checking your credit, it won't work in your behalf to resolve anything).

TechCrunch: Equifax Hack-Checking Web Site Is Returning Random Results - Slashdot

* Returns random yes/no results when you inquire more than once, or home phone vs cell phone.

* "the secret 10-digit "security freeze" PIN being issued by Equifax "is just a timestamp of when you made the freeze." The article I linked above noted those codes are in half-hour intervals so there are only 1400-something unique codes per calendar day. If someone makes a reasonable guess what time you went to the site the odds of them guessing your 'secret PIN' and authorizing credit is near 100% over a few attempts. Obviously no security pro was consulted in setting this up or got anywhere near this marketing project.

* "It's clear Equifax's goal isn't to protect the consumer or bring them vital information. It's to get you to sign up for its revenue-generating product TrustID."

* Keep in mind Equifax's customers are companies granting credit who need to see Equifax's files on you. Not the consumer, they don't owe any obligation to you. Worst case: In the present political climate I doubt there is an agency in 'big government' that will dictate to this private enterprise what they have to do to protect you. I expect this will play out like the sub-prime mortgage mess 10 years ago, no focus of responsibility and no effective new rules to prevent future crises.