{"id":2159,"date":"2017-09-12T17:26:21","date_gmt":"2017-09-12T21:26:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.musingsbymichael.com\/blog\/?p=2159"},"modified":"2017-09-12T17:26:21","modified_gmt":"2017-09-12T21:26:21","slug":"credit-breach-at-equifax","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.musingsbymichael.com\/blog\/2017\/09\/12\/credit-breach-at-equifax\/","title":{"rendered":"Credit Breach at Equifax"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Credit<\/a><\/p>\n

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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.<\/span><\/p>\n

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So Equifax has a way to check if you are one of the victims, Equifax Check Potential Impact<\/a>. 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Instead I and many much more experienced experts in the field of credit security suggest you freeze your credit. Per Digital Trends<\/a>, \u201cKrebsOnSecurity<\/a>, 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 \u2014 Equifax<\/a>, Experian<\/a>, Innovis<\/a> and TransUnion<\/a> \u2014 but it is a solid preventative step to stop the Equifax hack from affecting you too heavily<\/em>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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You can check what the law is on when and when not you can be charged by going to Equifax\u2019s site page on this subject<\/a>. 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Here is the page to freeze your credit for Equifax<\/a>. And here is a \u2018How To\u2019 fact sheet page about freezing your credit report by the State of New Jersey<\/a>, 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Remember that you must freeze your credit report (files) at all three (3) companies. Go to this government website<\/a> to see who they are and how to contact them.<\/span><\/p>\n

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And last but not least is this very informative article by Clark<\/a>, I urge you to read it!<\/span><\/p>\n

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It is my hope that this article on my blog has been of some help for you.<\/span><\/p>\n

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That is my opinion- Jumpin Jersey Mike<\/span><\/p>\n