What to Do After the Massive Social Security Number Breach

Last week, National Public Data, a Florida company that performs background checks, was revealed to be the victim of a massive cybersecurity breach.

A stunning 2.9 billion records were stolen, exposing names, addresses, and Social Security numbers, according to Bloomberg Law, citing details revealed in a class-action lawsuit. National Public Data later confirmed the hack.

It’s not the first time Social Security numbers have been stolen and probably won’t be the last. But the consequences of identity theft can be dire and it pays to protect yourself.

What Is Identity Theft?

Criminals can use your personal details, such as your Social Security number, to try to get credit cards and loans in your name, leaving you with bills and a damaged credit score. They could also try to gain access to your bank account, file fraudulent tax returns, or steal your government benefits. Identity theft is very serious.

That said, just because your Social Security number was stolen, doesn’t mean you’ll necessarily be the victim of fraud. As the New York Times noted, “nefarious crooks need to know how to use the data against whatever aggressive defenses exist at, say, a bank. Often, they fail.”

Still, sometimes they succeed, and it’s better to be safe than sorry. There are tools, such as this one from cybersecurity firm Pentester, to check if your information was stolen. If you’re one of the unlucky victims, freezing your credit can help you protect yourself.

Putting Your Credit on Ice

A credit freeze will prevent anyone from opening an account or taking out a loan in your name. Unfortunately, it will also prevent companies from seeing your credit report. That means you have to take the extra step of unfreezing your credit when doing anything that requires a credit check, such as applying for a new credit card or apartment rental.

You can freeze your credit by contacting one of the three big credit bureaus: Equifax (EFX), TransUnion (TRU), and Experian (EXPGY). The process is totally free by law and must be completed within a single business day.

To unfreeze your credit, just contact the relevant bureau and share the password or PIN number they provided you. Your credit should be unfrozen within an hour. In order to spot any future suspicious activity, you could consider credit monitoring or regularly requesting credit reports.

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