Equifax breach exposes 143 million people to identity theft

F350-6 · Sep 19, 2017

Double Naught Spy said:
.... Joined Lifelock and that has been helpful as well. What a fricking pain!

So what's your opinion of lifelock vs. just freezing things yourself at the big 3? What advantages have you seen and is it really worth all the money they charge?

ZX9RCAM · Sep 19, 2017

I just had someone charge $2500 at an Austin Hotel/spa yesterday. Saw the charge today. Called Chase and they claimed that the individual actually presented a CC at the location.

Southpaw · Sep 19, 2017

ZX9RCAM said:
I just had someone charge $2500 at an Austin Hotel/spa yesterday. Saw the charge today. Called Chase and they claimed that the individual actually presented a CC at the location.

Man that would really would drive me nuts knowing the scumbag is that close.
I haven't done it in some time, but maybe on top of a freeze I might just have to report my cards lost and get new account numbers.

ZX9RCAM · Sep 19, 2017

I have my card set up for automatic payment for several places, so it's a real pain due to that.

busykngt · Sep 19, 2017

ZX9RCAM, I think actually presenting a credit card - at least those still using a magnetic strip - isn't that difficult to do. For at least that one cc account, I think I would get it changed. Hasn't the issuing company already closed & issued you a new number? Usually when fraud is discovered, that's the first thing they do.
I know it's a hassle - I use mainly one card to pay monthly recurring bills too. For two years running - just before Christmas time - someone hacked my Cabela's VISA card. It didn't happen last year, so I'm kinda thinking they caught the perp. My guess was, it was somebody in the Cabela's corp office / Finance selling a list of card holders (but obviously, I never heard anything more about it). I know if it had happened a third year, I was calling it quits for the Cabela's cc program (even though it's bought me two new "free" pistols).

ZX9RCAM · Sep 19, 2017

Soon as I saw it, and made the call this afternoon it was cancelled while I was on the phone.
A new number was issued by the time I got back online after the call.

busykngt · Sep 19, 2017

That's good because "they" would most certainly have used it again!

AustinN4 · Sep 20, 2017

ZX9RCAM said:
I just had someone charge $2500 at an Austin Hotel/spa yesterday. Saw the charge today. Called Chase and they claimed that the individual actually presented a CC at the location.

Sounds like the scumbag had the ability to manufacture a card with your info on it.

ZX9RCAM · Sep 20, 2017

Yep, I was really surprised to hear it.

AustinN4 · Sep 20, 2017

Oh lucky me - I just checked equifax and I am exposed. Signed up for their protection and am awaiting their email. Going to freeze my credit reports at all 3 CR companies. Any other advice to this none techie guy appreciated.

majormadmax · Sep 20, 2017

Equifax is offering free Security Freezes...

The easiest and fastest way to place a security freeze on your Equifax credit file is via our online process found at the following link.
https://www.freeze.equifax.com
https://www.freeze.equifax.com

If you choose, you may also request a security freeze by calling our automated line at 1-800-685-1111 (NY residents please call 1-800-349-9960) or submitted your request in writing to:

Equifax Security Freeze
P.O. Box 105788
Atlanta, Georgia 30348

Please be sure to include the following:
- Your complete name including any suffix (e.g. JR., Sr., etc)
- Complete address
- Social Security Number
- Date of Birth
- Payment (if applicable, please check What are the security freeze fees in my state? ). We accept checks, money orders, or a major credit card for the appropriate fees. For VISA, MasterCard, Discover or American Express payment, please include your name as it appears on the card, the card number and the expiration date.

For your protection, please also send some proof of identification. See "Acceptable Forms of Identification for Verification".

In order to add a security freeze to your credit file at Experian or TransUnion you will need to contact them directly.
Experian: www.experian.com
TransUnion: www.transunion.com

Southpaw · Sep 20, 2017

ZX9RCAM said:
Yep, I was really surprised to hear it.

Lots of equipment for sale online that will create cards with actual numbers found online as well. There are also sites that claim to generate numbers with all pertinent details for use. Reviews on those sites claim some work, some don't.
I've also personally seen credit cards with glued on magnetic strips from other cards as well. Done right, a distracted or untrained cashier is none the wiser. Even if they check ID, there's no way to see the mismatch.

majormadmax · Sep 20, 2017

Additional info on that offer from the FTC...

Many people have had very sensitive personal information exposed in the Equifax breach—Social Security numbers, account numbers, even drivers’ license numbers. Equifax is offering free credit freezes until November 21, 2017. The company also will refund fees to anyone who already paid for freezes since September 7, when it announced the breach. If you’re thinking of placing a freeze, read this first.

A freeze means that no one (including you) can access your credit file until you unfreeze it, using a PIN or passphrase. That makes it harder for identity thieves to open new accounts in your name.

To be effective, you must place a freeze with all three credit reporting agencies — Equifax, Transunion and Experian. That’s because when a thief tries to take out new credit, a business can pull your credit report from any of the three agencies. If you’ve only frozen your Equifax file and the business checks with Experian or Transunion, your Equifax freeze does you no good.

There’s also cost to consider. A freeze can cost you money every time you freeze and unfreeze your file. While Equifax will let you place or lift a freeze for free until November 21, TransUnion and Experian are not offering free freezes. And, as of now, Equifax’s offer will end on November 21. That means that any time you need to get new credit, you’ll need to lift the freeze, then place it again, with each of the three agencies — at a cost of $5 to $10 per agency each time, depending on your state’s law.

But wait, you say, I heard that freezes are free for identity theft victims. So, will I get free freezes from the other two agencies too? No. An identity theft victim is someone whose information not only has been exposed, but also has been misused. If you’re a data breach victim, your information is at greater risk of misuse but unless that happens, you’re not an identity theft victim and not entitled to free freezes on that basis.

To learn more about credit freezes, read Credit Freeze FAQs and Extended Fraud Alerts and Credit Freezes. If you want a free credit freeze from Equifax you can call them at 800-349-9960 or visit them online at freeze.equifax.com.

If you’re looking for an alternative to a credit freeze, consider a fraud alert. Although a fraud alert won’t lock your credit like a freeze does, it will tell anyone who runs your credit that they should check with you before opening a new account. Fraud alerts are free but they end after 90 days, unless you remember to renew them. You may also want to sign up for Equifax’s free credit monitoring, which lets you know about changes to your credit file. But remember that the free credit monitoring doesn’t stop someone from opening accounts in your name. Also, it lasts only one year and the threat of identity theft relating to the breach is likely to last a lot longer than that.

Source: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2017/09/free-credit-freezes-equifax

Ole Cowboy · Sep 20, 2017

Hard to have not been compromised as it covers more than the 143M, in fact its almost everyone in the US. What should be done is shut the company down, close their doors. This is NOT their first time. They have finally admitted to more than one and maybe more.

But wait, its gets WORSE. They are now offering a FREE Dark net scan. That is a joke and its a scam, do not do it. The dark net is quite large and they only scan a few of the popular sites for your e mail, to scan the whole dark net would take a bunch of folks years to do.

By the way the whole credit reporting business is nothing but a scam. Its as phony as a $3 buck bill, IMO it should be shut down completely.

AustinN4 · Sep 20, 2017

Thanks to all of you who are posting information in this thread.

Double Naught Spy · Sep 20, 2017

F350-6 said:
So what's your opinion of lifelock vs. just freezing things yourself at the big 3? What advantages have you seen and is it really worth all the money they charge?

Worth the money? I can't compare it with other services. The biggest benefits (in this case) seems to be being able to get alerts when there is an inquiry on the account (soc sec #), and to be able to continually monitor each of the credit services and their records of the account. They also help with contacting the correct institutions to resolve issues with one of the customer service reps guiding the process.

You can do your own fraud alerts, and I did, but new credit accounts kept arriving by mail and I realized that I did not have a very good grasp of the situation for all the stuff that happened before the alerts and for the new credit accounts that came about after the alerts were issued. None should have come up, but as in the case of AT&T, because I already had an account in good standing, when the fake version of me appeared in a store on the east coast and wanted a new account and several Apple items (iPhones, iPad, accessories) and a really nice series of calling plans, etc., I was stunned. Because I had an account in good standing and "I" was in their store, they didn't run my credit.

It is all a big hassle, whether you get help from a company like Life Lock or not, but given I knew that my DL and all of its information and my Soc Sec had been taken, I really wanted to have all the help I could get to get control over this.

karlac · Sep 20, 2017

oldag said:
Had you signed up for their online service, you could have avoided the Transunion fee. And had the ability to freeze/unfreeze your account online with no wait.

Except their farkin's website did not work the two days I tried it.
Got tired of getting 3/4 through the process and getting bucked off ... time after time.
Wasted way more than $10 worth of fishing time ...

busykngt · Sep 20, 2017

AustinN4 said:
Oh lucky me - I just checked equifax and I am exposed. Signed up for their protection and am awaiting their email. Going to freeze my credit reports at all 3 CR companies. Any other advice to this none techie guy appreciated.

Let’s give this some “perspective”.
The Equifax fubar exposed 148 million Americans (at least, that’s the last number I heard). What that means in ‘real world’ terms is, that’s most every American adult. (period)
—
(Pls don’t hang me on these numbers.... jest going from memory & general knowledge). But in round numbers, America’s population is roughly 320 million; and if you figure half are kids (i.e., not adults), that leaves ~160 million “adults”. And you could easily guess another 12 to 15 million are homeless, winos, convicts, ex-convicts, ex-husbands dodging child support, perhaps some women who should be in prison, and just generally anyone else who doesn’t give a rat’s posterior about their credit rating, etc., etc. AND POOF!!! you’re at the SNAFU number!
—
Congress ought to come down on this kind of FU, like a ton of bricks! (I ain’t holding my breath.... they’re just about as useless as Equifax!)

AustinN4 · Sep 20, 2017

May have received a fake email from equifax. Earlier this morning I signed up for their TrustedID Premier. The next step was to receive an email to verify it and complete the enrollment.

Just recd an email and when I clicked on the link it was asking me all of the same questions again as if I had never filed it out the first time.

Then I looked closely at the address of the email I received - it was
no-reply@trustedid.com via amazonses.com

amazonses.com - WTF???

Is this the same email address you guys are getting??

Southpaw · Sep 20, 2017

AustinN4 said:
May have received a fake email from equifax. Earlier this morning I signed up for their TrustedID Premier. The next step was to receive an email to verify it and complete the enrollment.

Just recd an email and when I clicked on the link it was asking me all of the same questions again as if I had never filed it out the first time.

Then I looked closely at the address of the email I received - it was
no-reply@trustedid.com via amazonses.com

amazonses.com - WTF???

Is this the same email address you guys are getting??

When I checked my status originally, they said I would not be contacted to sign up, only that I should revisit the site after a certain date if I chose to do so.

Equifax breach exposes 143 million people to identity theft

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