Social Security number breach: Do this to find out if you’re one of the billions affected

[Double Naught Spy]

In what may be the most bonkers news to happen this year, billions of Americans had their most personal, sensitive info swiped by hackers late last year — and this massive breach wasn't announced until just last week.

Interesting that they got soc sec information on nearly 9x the number of living Americans.

 

[Rafe]

Interesting that they got soc sec information on nearly 9x the number of living Americans.

It's Biden-math. Now no longer in favor in Washington...

 

[deemus]

Locked down credit on all three, couldn't hurt.

I did this a couple years ago after a CC breach. I got a PIN if I ever need to get credit.

 

[alternative]

Locked down credit on all three, couldn't hurt.

Now getting a ton of emails from 3 credit bureau.

 

[letsget86d]

This is one more reason to learn about and practice good operational security (OPSEC) even if you're not a computer guy. Many of these companies have air tight fine print that protects them when (not if) they mishandle your personal data. That means the burden is on you and you need to fall back to treating them like a stranger you met on the streets when it comes to your information.

Lock your credit with all 3 bureaus, use email aliases, avoid any and all free email providers, provide deliberately incorrect information where possible, provide no information where possible, change phone numbers every few years..... in addition to lots of other things.

With specific regard to social security numbers, consider "making a typo" every time an entity requests your SSN (online or in person) and let them tell you there's an issue before correcting it.

 

[DougC]

As contributors and readers to this topic have noted you need to be pro-active to protect your ID, credit records and financial well being. I procrastinated forever to make a credit freeze and fraud alerts with credit bureaus. A freeze and fraud alerts are two separate actions you have take. Do it now before you get compromised. Here is what I did all for free. Be careful as the websites will lead you to believe you have to pay for the service. Sneaky.

• Pick one of three credit bureau (create an account if needed) and find the fraud alert button
  • Mark the date you place fraud alert as it only good for one year
  • Placing a fraud alert requires that credit bureau to notify the other two. But you may want to do it yourself.
• Credit freeze is more protective* than fraud alert but requires you to setup with all three bureaus, darn!
  • So while on your credit bureau fraud alert find their freeze alert button and set it up
  • No time limit for the freeze so go to the other two bureaus and rinse and repeat.

Took me a few minutes as I had to setup accounts with two bureaus. Easy peasy.

*Go online for explanation of difference between freeze and fraud alerts.