Sep 12, 2017, 8:14 pm
HUGE data breach at Equifax
Sep 8, 2017 | 12:46 pm
#32
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Bay Area
Programs: DL SM, UA MP.
Posts: 12,724
Class action suit filed in Portland.
They're pulling in a celebrity LA firm with talk of $70 billion national damages.
Good, this should kill Equifax and ge the other bureaus to beef up security.
They're pulling in a celebrity LA firm with talk of $70 billion national damages.
Good, this should kill Equifax and ge the other bureaus to beef up security.
Sep 8, 2017 | 12:52 pm
#33
Join Date: Jul 2014
Programs: O6 GOLD, SPG GOLD
Posts: 122
With almost half of the US population affected, the class action suit would settle for $50 per person. Anymore than that and Equifax goes bankrupt.
I hope Equifax is barred from the credit bureau business for atleast 2 years, but the credit monitoring program seems to be the better deal here. Ofcourse the smart move is to freeze all your credit reports.
I hope Equifax is barred from the credit bureau business for atleast 2 years, but the credit monitoring program seems to be the better deal here. Ofcourse the smart move is to freeze all your credit reports.
Sep 8, 2017 | 2:37 pm
#35
Join Date: May 2010
Location: ORDwest
Posts: 333
Just checked for me and wife: we both get the same "likely affected" message. But am I worried? No. Well, not any more than I already was before this latest breach.
Quoting Brian Krebs here: "I have long urged consumers to assume that all of the personal information jeopardized in this breach is already compromised and for sale many times over in the cybercrime underground (because it demonstrably is for a significant portion of Americans)." Krebs offers specific advice and lots of general background info on how to protect your interests. And it makes for fascinating reading too. https://krebsonsecurity.com
Quoting Brian Krebs here: "I have long urged consumers to assume that all of the personal information jeopardized in this breach is already compromised and for sale many times over in the cybercrime underground (because it demonstrably is for a significant portion of Americans)." Krebs offers specific advice and lots of general background info on how to protect your interests. And it makes for fascinating reading too. https://krebsonsecurity.com
Sep 8, 2017 | 3:12 pm
#36
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Bay Area
Programs: DL SM, UA MP.
Posts: 12,724
Anything that requires a social security number now would be replaced with this new ID credentials.
Maybe the way to get around it is to make it opt-in and not require the national ID number for anything essential. For instance, you'd be able to register to vote, get a passport or apply using this new national ID but it wouldn't be the only way to identify yourself. It would be an additional way.
The only stick they might apply might be that if you get hacked and your social security number is used to rob you, you would have liability as long as you had the option to use this national ID instead.
Of course the govt. would have to build up a system to issue and then authenticate this national ID, each time you used it to get credit of some kind, apply for a job, apply for a driver's license, etc.
Sep 8, 2017 | 3:59 pm
#37
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 1
Not really
Not really. Try putting any junk name and any random number ... it will say the same thing !
Sep 8, 2017 | 6:07 pm
#40
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: SEA
Posts: 2,556
I just put in my true last name, but with a made-up social security number, and got: Based on the information provided, we believe that your personal information was not impacted by this incident. It seems that if you're not in their system (as my made-up name + number wasn't) then you get this default message.
Sep 8, 2017 | 7:31 pm
#42
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 401
That should be the way to go, something tokenized so that you can give out randomized credentials out of your phone or from a website each time you apply for a cell phone account, cable account, credit card, etc.
Anything that requires a social security number now would be replaced with this new ID credentials.
Maybe the way to get around it is to make it opt-in and not require the national ID number for anything essential. For instance, you'd be able to register to vote, get a passport or apply using this new national ID but it wouldn't be the only way to identify yourself. It would be an additional way.
The only stick they might apply might be that if you get hacked and your social security number is used to rob you, you would have liability as long as you had the option to use this national ID instead.
Of course the govt. would have to build up a system to issue and then authenticate this national ID, each time you used it to get credit of some kind, apply for a job, apply for a driver's license, etc.
Anything that requires a social security number now would be replaced with this new ID credentials.
Maybe the way to get around it is to make it opt-in and not require the national ID number for anything essential. For instance, you'd be able to register to vote, get a passport or apply using this new national ID but it wouldn't be the only way to identify yourself. It would be an additional way.
The only stick they might apply might be that if you get hacked and your social security number is used to rob you, you would have liability as long as you had the option to use this national ID instead.
Of course the govt. would have to build up a system to issue and then authenticate this national ID, each time you used it to get credit of some kind, apply for a job, apply for a driver's license, etc.
Sep 8, 2017 | 7:47 pm
#43
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Bay Area
Programs: DL SM, UA MP.
Posts: 12,724
After 9/11, there was some discussion about it, so more for national security than data security.
Again make it opt-in, at least for a transitional period.
Maybe starting at some point, stop issuing new social security numbers and force people to get this new ID instead.
Older people would never have to get this new ID, unless they wanted to.
Again make it opt-in, at least for a transitional period.
Maybe starting at some point, stop issuing new social security numbers and force people to get this new ID instead.
Older people would never have to get this new ID, unless they wanted to.
Sep 8, 2017 | 10:34 pm
#44
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: GE, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,743
So they've updated their breach website:
Anyway, I reentered my info and I get message #2 now. 
September 8, 2017
We understand that some consumers are experiencing difficulties getting the answers and support they need through our website and call center. Ramping up the website and call center to handle the anticipated volume is ongoing and we are focused on making improvements as quickly as possible. We apologize for any inconvenience this process has created.
Thus far today, weve made the following adjustments:
1). YOU CAN DETERMINE YOUR STATUS IMMEDIATELY
Some consumers who visited the website soon after its launch failed to receive confirmation clarifying whether or not they were potentially impacted. That issue is now resolved, and we encourage those consumers to revisit the site to receive a response that clarifies their status.
2). NO WAIVER OF RIGHTS FOR THIS CYBER SECURITY INCIDENT
In response to consumer inquiries, we have made it clear that the arbitration clause and class action waiver included in the Equifax and TrustedID Premier terms of use does not apply to this cybersecurity incident.
3). EXPANDED OUR CALL CENTER
We have tripled our call center team to over 2000 agents and continue to add agents.
Our goal is to make this process as convenient and consistent as possible. We will continue to identify steps to improve this process.
And we will continue as well to listen to your comments and suggestions.
We understand that some consumers are experiencing difficulties getting the answers and support they need through our website and call center. Ramping up the website and call center to handle the anticipated volume is ongoing and we are focused on making improvements as quickly as possible. We apologize for any inconvenience this process has created.
Thus far today, weve made the following adjustments:
1). YOU CAN DETERMINE YOUR STATUS IMMEDIATELY
Some consumers who visited the website soon after its launch failed to receive confirmation clarifying whether or not they were potentially impacted. That issue is now resolved, and we encourage those consumers to revisit the site to receive a response that clarifies their status.
2). NO WAIVER OF RIGHTS FOR THIS CYBER SECURITY INCIDENT
In response to consumer inquiries, we have made it clear that the arbitration clause and class action waiver included in the Equifax and TrustedID Premier terms of use does not apply to this cybersecurity incident.
3). EXPANDED OUR CALL CENTER
We have tripled our call center team to over 2000 agents and continue to add agents.
Our goal is to make this process as convenient and consistent as possible. We will continue to identify steps to improve this process.
And we will continue as well to listen to your comments and suggestions.