Equifax (one of the three credit reporting agencies) got hacked. The information compromised includes names, addresses, social security numbers and even driver’s license numbers. Yeah, your whole life. The bad news is that it affects 44% of their database so almost a 50/50 chance you’re compromised.
This link will tell you if you have been affected. Scroll down and click “Potential Impact”.
If you are compromised it might be wise to take additional steps.
Freeze your credit.
Enabling a credit freeze restricts who can see your credit report, preventing lenders and others who you aren’t already familiar with from accessing your information. To do this, call one of the three major credit monitoring bureaus: Experian (888‑397‑3742), TransUnion (888-909-8872) and Equifax (888-909-8872).
Activate a free 90-day fraud alert.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, you are allowed to activate a free 90-day fraud alert with one of the three credit bureaus, which will make it harder for identity thieves to steal your information. You can also renew it after the 90-day period is over.
Check your credit report.
Although Equifax announced the security breach on Thursday, it discovered the actual breach on July 29. That means that hackers may have had personal information for a few months before they were caught. Check your credit report using a verified credit report company to see if there have been any accounts opened under your name without your permission.