![]() Although there are a few different avenues you can take to combat this breach, proceed with caution. Step number one should be to safeguard yourself against this credit breach, and any that may occur in the future. But in light of this most recent hack, many individuals have been left wondering how this happened and what their next step should be. The recent breach of 143 million individual's sensitive information is just one of many that clouds headlines on a regular basis. To contact your SYM team with specific questions or concerns or for help managing your personal investments, visit SYM online, or call 80 to speak with an advisor.Cybersecurity is always a hot topic, especially in the financial industry, but the recent Equifax data breach has brought it into the limelight once more. ![]() The bureaus will require this PIN if you ever wish to lift a freeze to obtain new credit, and the process for re-establishing a lost PIN is intentionally onerous. ![]() One last tip: If you choose to implement any form of Credit Security with the various agencies, do not lose the PIN provided by the credit bureaus. Check the links below to understand the costs in your state. Depending upon your situation, the agencies may ask you to pay when implementing or lifting a freeze. Fees to Freeze Your Credit?Īlso be aware that in certain states, credit bureaus charge a fee to freeze or unfreeze your credit. Some companies that offer these services also provide payment for damages that result from illegal use of your data. Should any of these actions be detected, you would be immediately notified and the company will take steps to ensure that no harm is done. Such companies screen various databases and search for illicit use of personal data, fraudulent loan and credit applications and the sale of information related to an individual. If you don’t have the time or ability to monitor your credit, consider paying for an identity security service. They will ask for the secure PIN that they issued to you when you froze your credit. ![]() Should the time come when you need to “unfreeze” your credit, simply contact the agency. When you implement a “freeze,” credit reporting companies can’t release your credit report without your consent. You can also purchase identity theft protection from a specialty company such as LifeLock or Identity Guard. In addition to completing an annual credit check-up, you can choose to “freeze” your credit. You will need to provide them your name, address, Social Security number and date of birth. You can access Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion reports from one place, Annual Credit Report, or by calling 1-87. Each of the three main credit reporting agencies allows individuals to request a free credit report once every 12 months. To protect yourself against credit fraud, SYM suggests that you check your credit activity on an annual basis. credit bureaus reported that identity thieves stole the Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses and driver’s license numbers of approximately 143 million Americans. In 2018 Equifax, one of the three major U.S. The Government Accountability Office reported that $5 billion in erroneous refunds were paid in 2014 as a result of fraudulent filings. Despite the best safeguards, it has become clear that we can’t always control the way people access or use our personal information. According to the Federal Trade Commission, identity theft is at the top of the list of consumer complaints.
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