Equifax Breach: FAQs and Resources

This month, the personal information of millions of Americans—including Social Security numbers, addresses, and in some cases, credit card numbers—were stolen when Equifax, one of the three major credit bureaus, had its systems compromised by hackers.

There are a number of steps you can take to protect yourself from fraud now and in the future. Below, you’ll find a FAQ provided by the American Bankers Association and links to helpful articles from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission.

Equifax Breach FAQs

I’ve been hearing about the Equifax breach in the news. What happened?

Equifax, one of the three major credit bureaus, experienced a massive data breach. The hackers accessed people’s names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses and, in some instances, driver’s license numbers. They also stole credit card numbers for about 209,000 people and dispute documents with personal identifying information for about 182,000 people.

Was my information stolen?

If you have a credit report, there’s a good chance it was. Go to a special website set up by Equifax to find out. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on “Potential Impact,” enter some personal information and the site will tell you if you’ve been affected. Be sure you’re on a secure network (not public wi-fi) when you submit sensitive data over the internet.

How can I protect myself?

Enroll in Equifax’s services. Equifax is offering one year of free credit monitoring and other services, whether or not your information was exposed. You can sign up at https://www.equifaxsecurity2017.com/.
Monitor your credit reports. In addition, you can order a free copy of your credit report from all three of the credit reporting agencies at annualcreditreport.com. You are entitled to one free report from each of the credit bureaus once per year.
Monitor your bank accounts. We also encourage you to monitor your financial accounts regularly for fraudulent transactions. Use online and mobile banking to keep a close eye on your accounts.
Watch out for scams related to the breach. Do not trust e-mails that appear to come from Equifax regarding the breach. Attackers are likely to take advantage of the situation and craft sophisticated phishing e-mails.

Should I place a credit freeze on my files?

Before deciding to place a credit freeze on your accounts, consider your personal situation. If you might be applying for credit soon or think you might need quick credit in an emergency, it might be better to simply place a fraud alert on your files with the three major credit bureaus. A fraud alert puts a red flag on your credit report which requires businesses to take additional steps, such as contacting you by phone before opening a new account.

How do I contact the three major credit bureaus to place a freeze on my files?

Equifax: Call 800-349-9960 or visit its website.
Experian: Call 888-397-3742 or visit its website.
TransUnion: Call 888-909-8872 or visit its website.

Where can I get more information about the Equifax breach?

You can learn more directly from Equifax. You can also learn more by visiting the Federal Trade Commission’s webpage on the breach. To learn more about how to protect yourself after a breach, visit https://www.identitytheft.gov/Info-Lost-or-Stolen.

Additional Resources

In addition to the sites listed above, you can review the following articles for more tips:

Share:

Sign up for our newsletter and be the first to know about new tips, insights, and products from First Bank.

First Bank may use this email address to contact you about products, services, and promotions.

You may be interested in...

Shot of an attractive young couple moving house

Budgeting Tips for Newlyweds Work together to spend less, save more, and secure your financial future. 2 min read

You’re Getting Married! Keep These 8 Things in Mind Getting married is not a small feat for many reasons – among them, marriage represents a new stage in your financial life. We asked three First Bank team members about what financial issues soon-to-be newlyweds need to discuss. 3 min read

Money Mule Scams: How Criminals Convert Fraud into Profit What is a Money Mule? Money mules are individuals who unknowingly or knowingly assist criminals in laundering money, often by transferring illegally sourced funds between accounts or across borders. The source of the money comes from fraudulent scams or other illegal activities like drug trafficking. Criminals use their mule’s identity and layer the illegal transactions in an attempt to hide the illegal funds from law enforcement. Once properly hidden, the criminals are able to access their funds and cash out on their illegal activity. Common Money Mule Scams There are a number of ways that criminals will try to hide their money from law enforcement. Money mules are a form of money laundering, where criminals attempt to make their illegally sourced funds seem legitimate. Here are a few common ways people can unknowingly fall victim to money mule scams. 1- Deceptive Job Offers Money mule scammers will act as employers offering high-paying, remote positions. Common job titles could be payment processor, financial coordinator, or international fund liaison. While these job opportunities seem legitimate, their primary function is to receive and transfer illegal funds. The criminal will wire a large sum of funds to the mule, then instruct them to keep a percentage and transfer the remainder of the money to a different account or purchase a certain amount of cryptocurrency. The criminal hides behind their mule’s identity and is able to more easily access their funds. 2 – Romance Scams This type of mule scam exploits a victim’s emotions and trust. Scammers will find their victims on social media sites, dating sites or other online chat channels. They will deceive their victims with made up personas often using stolen photos and fake details. Over time, the scammer will attempt to build an emotional connection by sending affectionate messages or personal stories. Once they feel they have earned the victim’s trust, they will fabricate a story requiring financial assistance. These are oftentimes medical emergencies or travel issues that need quick funding into an account. Once the scammer has convinced their victim to oblige, they will continue to exploit their trust to launder their illegal funds. 3 – Lottery, Prize, and Investment Scams If something seems too good to be true – it probably is. These scams typically start via an unsolicited message or phone call informing you that you’ve won a prize. They instruct their victims to take a number of steps before they can claim their prize, and that is where the danger lies. These steps could include gathering your personal details, wiring a “prize tax” or fraudulent fee, accepting a large sum of money, and/or transferring a portion of the winning funds to another account. Similarly, investment scammers typically promise their mule victims “return” for their illegal money transfers – sometimes in the form of cryptocurrency or percentages of the money they wire. What are the Consequences? Large overdraft balances are most often the first consequence to the money mule. Once the criminal has access to their mule’s account, they typically push a large lump sum out of the account. This amount oftentimes will exceed the typical balance in the mule’s account, leaving them with a substantial negative balance to dig out from. Acting as a money mule is illegal, whether the crime is knowing or unknowingly committed. The punishment for these crimes include imprisonment and federal charges. Additionally, your identity and personal information could be stolen from the criminals involved in the money mule scheme. Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3): The IC3 is run by the FBI and accepts online internet crime complaints from the victim at www.ic3.gov How to Protect Yourself As with most methods of protecting yourself against fraud – remain cautious whenever someone requests your personal information or banking information. Only share those details with people or organizations that you trust. If you receive a job offer from an online business, do your due diligence to confirm they are a legitimate company. Additionally, a legitimate employer will not ask you to form a company or open a new bank account on their behalf. Always be cautious if anyone asks you to wire or transfer money on their behalf. Be weary if something seems too good to be true, like you’ve won an unsolicited prize or been chosen to participate in a giveaway. Scammers act on urgency. If someone is pressuring you to do something that you’re uncomfortable with, walk away. If you or someone you know is afraid they are involved in a money mule scheme, it’s not too late to stop. Stop communicating with the person giving the directions. Tell your financial institution and consider changing accounts. Report suspicious communications or activity to law enforcement. The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) is the Nation’s central hub for reporting cyber crime and run by the FBI. Visit www.ic3.gov for resources and more information about how to file a report. Maintain receipts, contact information and communications (emails, text messages, voicemails) so that information can be passed to law enforcement, if needed. 5 min read

The Impact of Home Ownership on Your Credit Rating If you're in the market for a home, you've probably spent some time cleaning up your credit. After all of that hard work, you may wonder what impact a mortgage will have on your credit rating. 3 min read

Equifax Breach: FAQs and Resources

Ready to talk to an expert?

Equifax Breach FAQs

Additional Resources

Ready to talk to an expert?

You may be interested in...