What should we expect?
They’ve already put out a link for all to check their status. Everyone by now should already monitor their credit. It’s not a matter of if you will be hit by identity theft/cc fraud it’s a matter of when.
We have a credit monitoring service thru our bank but I also use credit karma. It’s free and quite accurate.
A coworker has already advised caution about using the Equifax website to get info about the breach. She inadvertently signed up for a credit monitoring service with a mandatory arbitration clause that prohibits suing equifax for damages if her identity was stolen.
Also, see this: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/how-to-check-equifax-security-hack_us_59b1f8a5e4b0354e4410c754
I don’t get an answer at all. Mr Rs said he’s fine but for me it just tells me that i can enroll in their ID thing.
not gonna help with their PR cause…
http://money.cnn.com/2017/09/08/investing/equifax-stock-insider-sales-hack-data-breach/
Romani, that’s exactly what happened when I checked last night. Just tried again and it says my SSN is impacted and then forwarded me to instructions to enroll in their program.
Here is the info about credit freezes for folks who are interested. This is the strategy H and I are going to go with–too many security breaches too frequently!
Credit Freezes
https://www.annualcreditreport.com/index.action (free annual reports)
(enclose a copy of a govt issued ID and recent utility bill, etc. if mailing request)
Equifax
1-800-685-1111
https://www.freeze.equifax.com
Submit in writing: Equifax Security Freeze, PO Box 105788, Atlanta, GA 30348
Experian
1-888-397-3742
https://www.experian.com/freeze
Innovis
Phone 1-800-540-2505
https://www.innovis.com/securityfreeze/index
Complete Security Freeze by Mail & mail to Innovis Consumer Assistance, PO Box 26, Pittsburgh, PA 15230-0026: https://www.innovis.com/assets/InnovisSecurityFreezeRequest-f77aade600faab215c64ce801278a260.pdf
Transunion
1-888-909-8872
https://freeze.transunion.com/sf/securityFreeze/landingPage.jsp
Mail: TransUnion LLC, PO Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016
ChexSystems
1-800-877-7652
https://www.chexsystems.com/web/chexsystems/consumerdebit/page/securityfreeze/placefreeze/!ut/p/z1/04_Sj9CPykssy0xPLMnMz0vMAfIjo8ziDRxdHA1Ngg18_D1CjAwcXV193I2NvA3dLY31w_EqcDXUj6JEf6AJifrdA_zdgAp8_SyCQ32MDAzMKbMfqACsHwdwNADqj8JrBSgE8CoAeRFVARY_EHJFQW5oaGiEQaZnuqIiAPFFG7E!/dz/d5/L2dBISEvZ0FBIS9nQSEh/
Mail: Chex Systems, Inc., Attn: Consumer Relations, 7805 Hudson Rd., Suite 100, Woodbury, MN 55125
I had not previously heard of Innovis nor ChexSystems, but have included them for completeness.
Here’s an article by Consumers Union with sample letters & steps to take related to any fraud (tho it’s for HI, you can search credit freeze and your state to find the info about your state):
http://consumersunion.org/pdf/security/securityHI.pdf
A class actio lawsuit has been filed by a couple of OR residents.
Apparently, cc numbers of 209,000 people have been hacked.
So, with the classic action lawsuit, we’ll all get $5 and the lawyers will make a bundle. 
@HImom has been very helpful and I know we can trust her. But as a general practice, don’t click on links that require personal data - search for the site independently. For example, I searched “Experian security freeze”.
How do you sign up for credit freeze? Is it enough to go any site and sign up?
Agree that when in doubt, put in name of credit agency and credit freeze and follow the link and instructions on the company’s website. Some places allow the freeze by phone call, some by online application and some by mail with documents and their completed application.
I was surprised to learn there are 5 agencies, not only the 3 that get most of the publicity. Do not enter your info into random sites, only go to the official site of each credit bureau.
I just froze 2 of the 3 accounts for myself (in a moment of irony, Equifax says I have to do it in writing…maybe because I checked to see if I’d been breached on their site), the other two took my $ and did it.
I am about to freeze D’s who was also affected. S, fortunately, was not.
Total cost $30 which IMO Experian should at minimum reimburse.
Ugh.
I did the freeze for free online through Experian. (Equifax did say I was affected.) I think freezes are supposed to be free; credit monitoring will likely cost. I have it free via AAA Protect my ID, for members only.
Interestingly there were a few small unauthorized charges on one of my credit cards a week ago. We notified the company and are getting new cards. Of course now I wonder if it was a coincidence or not. DH was using the card in NYC just before the charges were done so number might have been stolen there.
I should seriously consider freezing given that Equifax says my account is compromised. What is the procedure to un-freeze it should we want to open a new account?
Experian had me set up a pin to use to unfreeze.
Each credit bureau will give you a pin to unfreeze if you want a temporary or permanent “thaw.” Keep those pins safe somewhere. If you need to unfreeze, ask the creditor/lender WHICH bureau to unfreeze and only do that one. You may have to pay a fee to unfreeze and refreeeze.
Do you get the unfreeze PIN when you request the initial freeze or do you have to contact them to get it later?