Protecting Your Personal Information After Major Data Breaches

Recent massive data breaches serve as a stark reminder of the importance of securing your personal information. The disclosure of the National Public Data breach, with a purported 2.9 billion records surfacing on the dark web, was a major wake-up call. This, coupled with other significant leaks, like the Medicare data loss affecting almost a million beneficiaries, highlights the growing vulnerability of sensitive information.

Your Social Security number, a crucial identifier for taxes, credit, and government benefits, is likely compromised. Even if it hasn’t been leaked yet, the unfortunate reality is that future data breaches make it almost inevitable. However, you don’t have to wait for identity theft or fraud to happen. You can take proactive steps to minimize your risk. Even details like your name, birthdate, and address, commonly found online, can be exploited.

Here’s what you can do to protect yourself:

Checking for Data Breach Exposure

While taking precautionary measures is always advisable, checking if your information has been leaked can provide added motivation for action.

Exercise caution when using websites that claim to check for data breach exposure. Avoid entering personal details on unfamiliar sites. Reputable, vetted sites exist, some specifically dedicated to the National Public Data breach, and they don’t require sensitive information for verification.

Two NPD-specific sites are recommended, with information on their operators (a cybersecurity firm and a data removal company) available. One site returns listings linked to your full name, state, and birth year, while the other provides more detailed results based on full name + zip code, Social Security number, or phone number.

If you’re hesitant about these sites or prefer ongoing monitoring, consider using Google’s Dark Web Report service or subscribing to a paid antivirus service. Have I Been Pwned is also a valuable resource for data breach notifications, but it requires your email address to be part of the compromised data.

Freezing Your Credit Reports

Freezing your credit is a free and effective way to prevent fraudsters from opening credit cards or loans in your name. Given the widespread availability of personal information, this is a wise precaution.

You need to freeze your credit with each of the major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. For even greater protection, you can also freeze your report with Innovis, a smaller credit bureau.

Once frozen, your credit reports are only accessible to you. If you need to allow a third-party credit check, such as when renting an apartment or applying for credit, you can temporarily lift the freeze through the credit bureau websites or phone lines. You’ll need the PIN issued to you when you froze your credit to request the temporary lift.

Reviewing Your Credit Reports Regularly

While dealing with your credit reports, review them carefully for any signs of fraudulent activity. You can access them weekly through AnnualCreditReport.com or request paper copies annually by phone or mail.

If you find inaccurate information, dispute it. If you suspect identity theft, report it and begin the remediation process.

Obtaining an Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) from the IRS

Tax return fraud can cause significant problems. The IRS offers a way to prevent others from fraudulently filing in your name by requesting an Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN). If you have an IP PIN, any tax return filed must include the six-digit PIN to be processed.

Most taxpayers need to request a new PIN each year, unless they have been a victim of tax-related identity theft. Victims of tax-related identity theft automatically receive a new IP PIN from the IRS annually.

If you forget your IP PIN, the IRS offers methods for retrieving it. Consider storing the PIN in a secure password manager. For added security, choose a password manager that saves your data to a local hard drive or flash drive instead of a cloud-based service.

Placing a Security Freeze with ChexSystems

Similar to credit reports, a file exists on your banking activity. If someone opens fraudulent accounts in your name and mishandles them, banks may be hesitant to do business with you in the future.

Protect yourself by placing a security freeze with ChexSystems, a company used by banks to verify customer worthiness. Once the freeze is in place, only you can access your report. To temporarily lift the freeze when applying for a new bank account, make a request online using the PIN issued when the freeze was implemented.