tmiw

Unfortunately, freezing your credit isn't going to help with that. However, I'd like to think that they'd run the guy's prints and realize that the prints the Feds have on file for me (due to signing up for Global Entry) don't match--even if that doesn't happen as often as we'd like.

Diplomatico

How many of the 143 million people affected have Global Entry, do you think? How many days in jail are you willing to spend while your local police department figures out how to access Global Entry databases to match your fingerprints? How much in attorney fees are you willing to spend to get the police to even check it?

wco81

That would suck.

We need fewer credit bureaus, not more. All it takes is to breach one and your identity and financial data are compromised.

When you have more entities accumulating information about you, it's just more opportunities for hacking.

Congress should be looking to crush Equifax but my guess is that they won't, especially if Equifax has lobbyists.

This morning, some crisis management guy was interviewed on CNBC and he was talking about ways Equifax management could survive.

The point is, not only should the management not survive, the company shouldn't either.

So the last thing we need is more banks enabling this industry.

They have to come up with a different way to evaluate the creditworthiness of people than using the SSN.

How the hell do other countries do it?

You don't hear about hacks of personal financial data in Europe. They may happen but I get the sense that cyber criminals are going for the richest, easiest targets, which is the US.

wco81

Doubt the TSA will share their database with any other agency.

Especially not local law enforcement.

tmiw

I was only referring to my own personal situation. In general, however, a lot more people have fingerprints on file than you'd think. (Anyone working with kids, for example. Or the people caught up in the OPM breach a few years back.)

Productivity

So I'm in the list, my wife is not. This is messy as I'm not a US Citizen and I have no fixed US address (we use my in laws as a mailing address when needed, but I have no proof I live there such as phone or utility bills). I will likely return to the US at some point and I don't want to turn up to find my credit has been trashed.

If I wanted to sign up for the gold standard of credit monitoring (rather than Equinox's crap one year product), what is the best product?

TOMFORD

Does freezing my Equifax actually help? Wouldn't the hacker have all the info to unfreeze it?

Diplomatico

That would require extra time and effort. Why bother trying to unfreeze yours when they can just move on to the next account? They have 143 million from which to choose.

It's better not to be the "low hanging fruit", no?

philemer

lifelock.com is the only one I'm aware of. Has anyone here signed up yet?

wco81

Interesting how Lifelock prices its products.

So you're paying for insurance against loss? If they mess up, they will reimburse you up to whatever amount you signed up for?

Wonder how many times they've had to pay up, whether they drag their feet on payouts, etc.

themice

Lifelock has been hacked - including its CEO. Google it.

philemer

First time was back in 2008. They have also been sued a couple times & have paid out mucho $$. That doesn't mean their protection isn't worth the $$. I've never tried so no first hand experience.

tmiw

I used to spend money on myFICO's monitoring, actually. It was pretty good for a while until it started getting nerfed (presumably to encourage people to purchase their more expensive plans).

Anyway, I think with the credit report freezes and Credit Karma recently adding Equifax, that might be good enough for me.

edealinfo12345

So, freezing your credit reports prevents that?

mlin32

I happened to check my Chase Freedom card account today, and someone in the past few days did a cash advance with my card. Called Chase and they will reverse the charge and cash advance fee, and send a new card.

Then went onto the Equifax website, put in my info and got the message that I might have been impacted. Well, fairly obviously, I was.

"Oh what are the chances , won't impact me....." Whoops got that wrong.