As many of you have heard, Equifax, one of the 3 major credit card bureaus, fell victim to a major security breach. According to Equifax, about 143 million Americans may have had their names, birthdates, social security numbers, and other personal information compromised. Consumers are now able to check to see if their information was potentially compromised by going to the following website:
If you believe you are a victim of identity theft, you can take the following precautions:
- Place a fraud alert with any of the 3 major credit card bureaus (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion).
- Monitor all of your financial accounts
- Monitor your credit report and check for any unusual activity such as new accounts.
- You can also freeze or lock your credit file so lenders are not able to access your credit report
Also be very conscious as to what you receive in the mail. Be aware of any unusual mail from the IRS, credit card companies, or lenders.
AND, AS ALWAYS, PLEASE REMEMBER, THE IRS WILL NEVER INITIATE CONTACT BY PHONE, EMAIL OR TEXT!!