Let’s Talk… Identity Theft and Last Week’s Data Breach!

Last week’s data breach at National Public Data put personal data (including social security numbers) of billions of people in the hands of cyber criminals. What should you do to protect yourself? I thought about showing you all how to check to see if your data was exposed in this latest breach, but I think that defeats the purpose of this blog post. I want you to assume your data is out there because if it isn’t yet, the chances are high it will be in the future. 

Here is what I have done to protect my data. 

1. Use a credit monitoring service to monitor what has been opened in your name. Experian has a free version with an app but for $24.99 a month you can lock/ unlock your credit file from your phone. 
2. I would review the credit report for accuracy. Experian actually lets you contest something inaccurate from the app. 
3. Take off voice recognition on all accounts. AI programs are getting to the point where they can take a sample of your voice and clone it. 
4. If you have been a victim of identity theft, call the police and get a report of the incident. 

Lastly, be proactive and not reactive. I’d lock my info down as much as possible. The next thing I’m looking at is the title lock for my house. Maybe we will talk about that when I find out more.

The content in this material was created for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as an investment advice.

The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. 

Companies mentioned are for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of the securities.