How to protect your personal information after a data breach

One of the scariest things you can hear in the twenty-first century is that your personal information may have been compromised in a data breach. At best, this means that your risk of identity theft has gone up exponentially. At worst, scammers are already trying to use your information in their schemes.

However, just because your personal information may have been stolen doesn’t mean you need to be a victim. You can make stealing your identity significantly harder for scammers by taking a few steps.

Here’s how to protect your personal information after a data breach:

Freeze your credit

The best way to protect yourself is to call the big three credit bureaus—Equifax, Experian and TransUnion—and put a credit freeze on your account. This essentially means no one will be able to open a new checking or savings account in your name until you lift the freeze. It’s a free service to all consumers, and you can keep the credit freeze in place as long as you like.

 

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