Re: Equifax data breach - Off Topic
Posted by Chris in Tampa on 9/24/2017, 2:15 am
Unless it changes, you can signup for Equifax's TrustedID Premier service for free through around November 20th, 2017.

FAQ page says:

"Consumers have until Tuesday, November 21, 2017, to take advantage of the complimentary, one-year subscription to TrustedID Premier."

From: https://www.equifaxsecurity2017.com/frequently-asked-questions/#tab-2

But I took a look at the email I got from Equifax to activate the product and it said:


"It is time to take the final steps in enrolling in your free product, TrustedID Premier, by verifying your identity. To do this, you'll need to answer some questions about yourself. Successfully completing this step will conclude your enrollment process and activate your product.

To verify your identity and activate your product, please click the link below:

[link redacted]

This link will remain active throughout the enrollment period, which expires on Monday, November 20, 2017."


A day earlier listed in that email.

Once you enter the last 6 digits of your SSN and last name, it will immediately tell you if you might be impacted. You'll then have a link to signup for their service. Once you fill out that form you will eventually get an email. (Check your spam folder.) It might take some time to get it with how busy they are. Then once you complete that process at the link, I guess it is activated. (or just assume as soon as you click the link)

Unfortunately, if the criminals have your data, doing something just at Equifax may not do too much good. All a criminal has to do is try to get something in your name, like a bank account or credit card, with a company that checks with one of the other credit reporting companies and not Equifax.

But there's plenty of other bad things criminals can do that doesn't involve these companies. You can lock and/or freeze things at all three and there's plenty of other fraud you are subject to. They can commit fraud with your existing accounts if they have enough info. (those will not be locked or frozen) LifeLock mentioned medical identity theft and employment identity theft as well as someone filing a fraudulent tax return and getting money. (That seems to be a big problem here in Tampa over the past few years) We file our tax return early and try to make sure we don't have a refund coming. Someone could try to file before you and get your refund.

I helped my dad lock his credit report last night. Locked it for a year at Equifax (I assume in 1 year most will have to pay to have it frozen there, though in Florida since my dad is over 65 he will not have to, he can freeze it free), locked it at TransUnion and froze it at Experian. Since my dad is over 65, he didn't have to pay anything, but he would have to pay to have it unfrozen I think at Experian if he needed to. I'm going to do the same with mine soon, though I'll have to pay at Experian to freeze it. But again, that doesn't guarantee you won't be a victim of identity theft. You'll have to continue to monitor not only your credit, but all of your existing accounts more closely, forever. And again, don't file tax returns late.
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Equifax data breach - Off Topic - Chris in Tampa, 9/21/2017, 3:58 am
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