Many of you might have heard that there was a credit breach at Equifax announced last week. This breach was massive and you might be one of its victims.

So Equifax has a way to check if you are one of the victims, Equifax Check Potential Impact. It is rather unreliable and I do not want you to put too much emphasis on what it says, just use it as an initial check.

Instead I and many much more experienced experts in the field of credit security suggest you freeze your credit. Per Digital Trends, “KrebsOnSecurity, a security journalist, is recommending you freeze your credit files. While that will make it more complicated when you need to sign up for a new credit card, car finance, or any instance where your credit must be checked, it also becomes a pain in the neck for anyone looking to use your identity to take out loans in your name. A credit freeze will bar anyone from opening a new line of credit in your name, unless they know a PIN number you specify. You will need to put the freeze on with each of the major credit report companies — Equifax, Experian, Innovis and TransUnion — but it is a solid preventative step to stop the Equifax hack from affecting you too heavily.”

You can check what the law is on when and when not you can be charged by going to Equifax’s site page on this subject. Be aware at least for Equifax that they have waived their fees for thirty (30) days; I would check before doing anything as company policy could change at any time.

Here is the page to freeze your credit for Equifax. And here is a ‘How To’ fact sheet page about freezing your credit report by the State of New Jersey, I think that it is quite complete in the information it gives about this subject. It would be a good idea none the less to check what the rules are in your own state.

Remember that you must freeze your credit report (files) at all three (3) companies. Go to this government website to see who they are and how to contact them.

And last but not least is this very informative article by Clark, I urge you to read it!

It is my hope that this article on my blog has been of some help for you.

That is my opinion- Jumpin Jersey Mike