These services do a lot of the hard work for you.īeing smart about how you react is one thing, but it pays to be proactive too. In the case of a major breach, the exposed company will often offer this for free. ◾ Consider an identity theft monitoring or protection service. Remember, once a password is exposed, it’s off-limits for any other accounts. It’s a pain, but this is your first line of defense. It could take time for anything strange to show up, so stay vigilant on this one. ◾ Monitor your bank and credit card statements for any suspicious activity. The FTC lists the real websites and phone numbers here. You only need to contact one of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion. ◾ Place a fraud alert on your credit file. ◾ Call your bank and credit card providers. It can, and very well might, get worse if you don’t. It’s worth taking steps to safeguard your data after you’ve been exposed. If you’re in the habit of ignoring data breach alerts, this list will seem like overkill – but trust me here. That includes Social Security numbers, bank account and credit card details, health records, passwords, device info and lots more.Ĭompanies and institutions are legally required to disclose data breaches, so if you’ve been involved, you’ll get some kind of communication informing you what was accessed (if that info is available at the time). In 2022, there were 1,802 reported data breaches, affecting over 422 million individuals – just under the record high in 2021.Ĭybercriminals get their hands on a host of your data through hacks, leaks, physical theft, human error, phishing attacks, ransomware, and other means. Watch Video: What to do if your personal information is compromised
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