While most of us in Florida were focused on Hurricane Irma, there was another event that could prove to be catastrophic for many people, but in a different way.
Equifax, one of the three major consumer credit reporting agencies, announced that it had been hacked. The result was hackers may have gained access to sensitive financial information for 143 million Americans. This information likely includes Social Security numbers, driver license information, names, birth dates and addresses.
The hack was believed to have occurred between mid-May and July. Equifax said it discovered the attack on July 29 but, as of a week or so ago, found nothing to indicate unauthorized activity on its databases.
If you believe your credit information may have been hacked, there are steps you can take. The most drastic is to freeze your credit immediately. It may create more work for you later but it is better than dealing with credit issues if your information has been compromised.
Pay daily careful attention to your bank and credit card statements. It may take months or longer before hackers decide to use your credit information. Also make sure you have secure passwords on all your accounts.
You can check to see if you have been impacted by this hack by going to www.equifaxsecurity2017.com.