In early August, we learned that the National Public Data was the victim of a data breach in December of 2023. Sadly, this means that millions of American Citizens are also a victim because of the amount of information (data) that the company, which conducts background checks, had on people in the US, Canada and the UK. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It appears that nearly 2.7 BILLION records were part of this leak, most notably millions of social security numbers. Sadly, the responsible gang has posted the info to breach forums for anyone to download for free. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
On a personal note, I checked to see if my information was involved and of course it was. The information showed all the addresses that I have lived at, including a couple I had completely forgotten. And of course, my social security, phone numbers etc. So this means that someone could easily impersonate me for financial gain. A hacker would most likely now be able to answer all the questions about my life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Steps to take TODAY to protect yourself: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Freeze your credit: Equifax, Experian and Trans Union will freeze your credit which will prevent companies from pulling your credit. You will have to create an account at each one of the companies but it is free to do so. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pull your credit report: While you are creating that account, is a great time to pull and review your credit report to make sure that only YOUR information in included on that report. Your entitled to one free report from each bureau annually. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Protect your home: Contact your local property appraiser and request that you are contacted any time there is a transaction using your name. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Enable 2FA: Enable and use 2FA or MFA on every account possible. Ideally use an authenticator that you have versus receiving an email or text message. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Change your passwords: Change your passwords on all accounts and use long and complex passwords. Don\u2019t use the same password for every account, each account should have its own password. Invest in a password keeper. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Be aware of Phishing attacks: Hackers know more about you at this point than you know about yourself. Be aware of emails or text messages that create some sort of fear such as a past due bill, or can\u2019t deliver to your home, etc. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Monitor: Monitor all your critical accounts including your banking, investments etc. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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