What will happen now that so many SSNs are lost by Equifax?
Any folks working in credit card related companies who have the inside scoop on discussions/future plans? How are they planning to handle the situation now that anyone can call to say that it's me (they have all the necessary information to open credit accounts)? Literally everything is at risk (my bank accounts to 401k to brokerage accounts) now..
Set up multi factor authorization. Equifax only leaked 'something you know' not 'something you've' or 'something you are'
MFA won't help you here. **Spent a decade in banking** SSN, name, DOB allows me to build an identity profile to create credit accounts in your name. Then I'll abscond and leave you with the bill. Correct solution: freeze your credit report
Agreed with ^ However Equifax credit report freeze pins are literally: mm/dd/yy/last 4 social
Cryptocurrency doesn't look so stupid now, does it?
How does this apply here? Regardless of currency if I'm giving you credit I would want a relative way to determine your risk. If I'm missing something obvious kindly share.
I'd like to give the commenter and the 6 likers the benefit of the doubt. Especially because cryptocurrency (really) does look stupid as an answer to this question.
Don't sign up for their free service or else you waive yourself from being apart of the potential lawsuit
Nothing will happen. There's been lots of leaks and no changes happens bc of those
Companies won't do shit because there are no consequences in America in 2017. Stop dreaming
As often is the case, those least knowledgeable and often least able to absorb the impact will get hit. If you are tech savvy, or semi literate, the impact is minuscule. You can freeze your credit via any reporting agency which would prevent any access to the credit report from anyone (including you). When you wish to apply for any credit, simply un-freeze it and then freeze it back up minutes later. If you did not know this existed, now you do. If you did, and your credit report isn't frozen, why not?
Wait how do you freeze it?
How big of a hassle is it to freeze it?
Depends on what the hacker does with the data. They'll either try to sell the lot, bit by bit, or hold it ransom and make Equifax pay up. The likelihood of it just going online for free to the world is nil.
Freeze ALL your credit AS WELL as IRS. As soon as tax season opens they will file tax returns in your name. Monitoring is an reactive strategy. Will be too late
How u gonna feeeze IRS?
This is not a thing. Soapbox: { "There's no incentive to answer a question on Blind, so answering questions with demonstrably false answers is just baffling."}
The financial risk is only one entry in the risk log. The criminal activity that can be done in your name is even more worrisome as you won't know it happened until you get arrested for it.
If my credit report is frozen, can you give me an example of a criminal activity that can be done in my name?
You can pay equifax to protect you even further ;)