The Equifax Breach: What You Should Know

In an effort to help our customers manage their finances and protect their identity, we want to advise you of a major data breach that was announced today.

Equifax announced a major data breach of its records occurred from mid-May through July 2017. While the company found no evidence of unauthorized activity, the breach may affect 143 million U.S. consumers. Equifax reports that hackers had access to names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses and driver’s license numbers, as well as credit card numbers and other documents with personal identifying information. Equifax will send direct mail notices to consumers whose credit card numbers or dispute documents with personal identifying information were impacted. In the meantime, consumers are encouraged to take advantage of the following tips:

How can I find out if my information was compromised?

Visit the Equifax dedicated website, www.equifaxsecurity2017.com

• Click on the “Potential Impact” link to determine if your information has been potentially impacted 
• Consider registering for a credit file monitoring or identity theft protection service.
• Contact the Equifax dedicated call center at 866-447-7559; open every day (including weekends) from 7:00 a.m. – 1:00 a.m. ET

What should I do if my information was compromised?

Whether your information was compromised or not, active monitoring of your credit profile and bank accounts is always a good idea. Review your account statements, online banking, and credit reports for any unusual activity. Immediately report any suspicious transactions to your financial institution and report any unauthorized accounts to the credit reporting agencies, following their normal dispute process. A free copy of your credit report can be obtained once every 12 months from each of the 3 major credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) at the website www.annualcreditreport.com. Visit the Federal Trade Commission’s website, www.ftc.gov/idtheft, to obtain information on identity theft, fraud alerts and security freezes.