My personal info hacked

[Chuckanut]

FWIW, the Feds have just indicted four Chinese military officials for the Equifax hack.

Four members of China’s military have been indicted by the U.S. government on charges of hacking into credit-reporting agency Equifax and plundering sensitive data on nearly 150 million Americans, the DOJ said.

 

[EvrClrx311]

A couple months ago I attempted to open a card at Kohl's and got denied. No problems there, I don't shop at Kohl's

It's good to check if the credit freeze is working
I should start doing this regularly, maybe?

OP, did you have your credit frozen at all three of the major bureaus: TransUnion, Equifax and Experian?

Many of those credit lock services are a bit of a scam... well I shouldn't call them that, but they prey on people's fear about their credit and suggesting they'll help protect it. Really all they do is offer services for after your identity has been stolen and don't actually do anything to protect identity theft before it happens (such as freezing). LifeLock is one of those. Reality is that you can protect your own credit quite easily without paying anyone.

I wish there was more public awareness of how simple it is to freeze/unfreeze credit. It's free, and each has it's way of unlocking. So in the rare instances that I need my credit run, I'll just unfreeze for a day or two... TU and Exp take less than a minute to unfreeze, Equifax always requires a 10 minute phone call and a lot of questions... so worth it for the peace of mind though.

 

[Aggie1999]

Here's the FTC sight on freezing credit:


https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0497-credit-freeze-faqs


That site only mentions the top 3 agencies. Some googling shows there are ~40 credit agencies, with Innovis being the 4th big one for consumer credit reports. Anyone froze credit with Innovis or other agencies besides the big three?

 

[Sunset]

I froze with the big 3 and then I froze with Innovis.
It was easy (execept for EquiFraud )

 

[braumeister]

Here's the FTC sight on freezing credit:


https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0497-credit-freeze-faqs


That site only mentions the top 3 agencies. Some googling shows there are ~40 credit agencies, with Innovis being the 4th big one for consumer credit reports. Anyone froze credit with Innovis or other agencies besides the big three?

Yes, Innovis and also ChexSystems.

 

[Aggie1999]

I froze with the big 3 and then I froze with Innovis.
It was easy (execept for EquiFraud )

Same here. TransUnion and Experian were easy. Equifax sucked. Account creation failed and said to call the 800 number. Did that and the CSR said their website is having problems and to call back in a few hours to finish setup. CSR did go ahead and add the freeze over the phone. Then had the nerve to try and sell me their $12.99 a month credit protection product. Don't really blame the poor CSR as she is doing what she is trained, but seems like Equifax would have the common sense to not try and sell someone a product when they are calling in about a problem with an existing product.


Freezing Innovis now.

 

[REWahoo]

I strongly recommend freezing your info on the National Consumer Telecom & Utilities Exchange (NCTUE) since identity theft via cell phone SIM swapping appears to be a growing threat.

 

[Sunset]

I strongly recommend freezing your info on the National Consumer Telecom & Utilities Exchange (NCTUE) since identity theft via cell phone SIM swapping appears to be a growing threat.

Thanks............
That was easy

Although in terms of sim swapping, it may not help as the provider already has a relationship with you, so it's possibly not like signing up for new service (since the thief wants the same phone number).

 

[easysurfer]

Got my credit report from Equifax today. I requested by paper mail. Used the form from the annual credit report website. Didn't need to provide any identifying info except just writing down my SSN and address and whatever the form asked.

Funny though how requesting assistance by phone or personal letter, Equifax gives the run around. But contacting through the from with annual credit report, I get a credit report, no questions asked.

I still don't have online access and don't want to pull my hair out fighting that battle with them. At least the credit report shows that my credit file is frozen with them. So, exercise wasn't a total waste of my time.

 

[explanade]

I strongly recommend freezing your info on the National Consumer Telecom & Utilities Exchange (NCTUE) since identity theft via cell phone SIM swapping appears to be a growing threat.

How would that prevent SIM swapping?

Vice show on Showtime (they moved from HBO starting today) had a segment on SIM swapping.

One of the victims says that a lot of AT&T stores are independently owned franchisees but they have access to the AT&T system so they could unwittingly swap your number over to some would-be SIM swapper.

I've heard some suggestions to use something like a Google Voice number instead of real phone number for 2FA or use apps. which generate OTP codes.

But not a lot of institutions seem to use them.

Some use Symantec VIP Access app, which generates a number that expires.

But you append that number to the end of your password to be able to log in.

 

[Spock]

How would that prevent SIM swapping?

Vice show on Showtime (they moved from HBO starting today) had a segment on SIM swapping.

One of the victims says that a lot of AT&T stores are independently owned franchisees but they have access to the AT&T system so they could unwittingly swap your number over to some would-be SIM swapper.

I've heard some suggestions to use something like a Google Voice number instead of real phone number for 2FA or use apps. which generate OTP codes.

...

Interesting. NCTUE was founded by AT&T.
https://krebsonsecurity.com/2018/05/another-credit-freeze-target-nctue-com/
When it comes to security, you're never really preventing anything... you're just making it harder thus reducing the number of attackers willing to go to longer lengths. "Locks just keep honest people out".

I'll have to explore that google voice idea.

 

[mystang52]

OP here, with a bit of an update. The ID thief used "my" Driver's License to rent a U Haul truck in Brooklyn NY. Then, someone claimed that truck damaged their parked car. The insurer contacted me. Again, I'm not liable but they did send me a copy of that driver's license.
My real birthday is 8/10/52. This license changed the birth year to 1972. The last 4 digits of my 9 digit zip code were incorrect. I'm Caucasian, 5'9, 178 pounds. The picture on the license is a heavy set African American. I got in touch with NJ Motor Vehicles and they verified that the license # on that phony license is not a valid registered license #.
My relief is that at least they did not have a copy of my actual license. I called the local Brooklyn police precinct, and they had zero interest. This was all before the Coronavirus lockdown, but I guess notwithstanding I had a picture of the thief it didn't matter to them.

 

[Spock]

... I guess notwithstanding I had a picture of the thief it didn't matter to them.

While it would probably be considered stalking... if you got nothing better to do you could try a reverse-image lookup with the pic...