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Equifax Data Breach could affect 143 million customers

Do we know much about Innovis? I'm debating putting a freeze on that report as well, but I'm curious who even uses them and if they would use them exclusively or as a supplement to the big 3.
 

mdsfx

Member
Do we know much about Innovis? I'm debating putting a freeze on that report as well, but I'm curious who even uses them and if they would use them exclusively or as a supplement to the big 3.
Doesn't hurt to freeze with them. It was really easy. Same with Chexsystems.
 

Linkura

Member
Experian and Equifax online credit freeze applications are broken.

Only TransUnion worked for me.
Experian online worked for my husband but not for me. Had to call for myself.

Was able to freeze myself earlier via phone at Equifax after numerous tries. Still trying to freeze my husband. Their systems are fucked. So right now, what's left is Transunion for my husband (need his account info) and Equifax for him as well.

Thankfully I had free time at work to do this because it's a major pain in the ass.

Edit: Equifax finally successful for my husband. There's a light at the end of the tunnel finally.
 
I froze all three a few days ago with no problems after reading a thorough Reddit post about what to do. Equifax was free in assuming due to the situation. Not looking to open loans any time soon so two fees for the other freezes was a small price to pay. Opted out of cc offers as well.
 

Z3M0G

Member
Canadians affected much by this or what? :S Doesn't help I know the absolute minimumin regards to this topic :(

Not sure where the info in the OP came from, but we seem to know very little...

I was listening to local CBC radio yesterday and the money columnist said that it is basically impossible to find out if you are even affected... He got an endless chain of "Please call this number... please call this number..." and got nowhere.
 

Z3M0G

Member
But $5 to unfreeze

At this point nobody should be sweating over $5-10...

Though it is disgusting if they are making profit from people trying to protect themselves after their fuckup... is it them who gets the money? If so, that shit should be FREEEEEEE just out of principle.
 

Ashhong

Member
Freezing my credit wont affect my credit score actually changing from other reasons right? It will only prevent anyone from doing a soft/hard pull?
 

Averon

Member
Well, I went back to that Equifax site and it now says I was impacted. Signed up for their TrustedID service. Already did a fraud alert. Going to just go ahead and do a credit freeze at all three bureaus as well while I am at it.
 
So is there a long term solution to any of this? A 90 day freeze is only going to work for...90 days. We can't change our SSNs.

Just found out I may have been affected.
 

Jams775

Member
Well, I went back to that Equifax site and it now says I was impacted. Signed up for their TrustedID service. Already did a fraud alert. Going to just go ahead and do a credit freeze at all three bureaus as well while I am at it.

I wouldn't trust that site. There are reports saying people are putting in the same information and getting different results each time.

I'd say it's safer to assume you are compromised.

Edit: It's saying I'm not affected, but if they come out with that "freeze all 3" option later, I'll still do it.
 
Just tried to sign up for a credit freeze (Equifax's site is getting hammered at the moment) and signed up for their TrustedID thing. I won't be opening anything for credit until I go house hunting in the spring.
 

Linkura

Member
Well my husband and I are totally frozen now. Decided to do his Transunion over the phone as opposed to waiting for his online account info. We don't plan on getting any new credit in the forseeable future, so better safe than sorry.
 

Blader

Member
Unless you're getting notifications of someone opening a new credit line in your name, isn't a credit freeze a drastic step? Would I be ok in just setting up a fraud alert? And if so, who would I set it up with - TransUnion? Experian? a third party?

I did the little Equifax quiz that said I might have been affected, but I can't imagine doing their TrustedID service is going to be worth anything since they were the problem in the first place!
 

Averon

Member
Goddamn. I tried to do a freeze on Experian site. But I got some error message saying something is preventing them from doing so, but they still took the $10 from my bank account.
 

sqwarlock

Member
Frozen with TransUnion, but the other two sites keep erroring on me.

Also I'm dumb and tried to sign up for Credit Karma *after* the freeze. So yeah, that ain't happening.
 
Unless you're getting notifications of someone opening a new credit line in your name, isn't a credit freeze a drastic step? Would I be ok in just setting up a fraud alert? And if so, who would I set it up with - TransUnion? Experian? a third party?

I did the little Equifax quiz that said I might have been affected, but I can't imagine doing their TrustedID service is going to be worth anything since they were the problem in the first place!

No, it's not a drastic step. If you wait until something happens to find out if (when) you're affected, have fun spending at least a few months untangling the fraudulent activity and trying to fix your credit score.

https://krebsonsecurity.com/2015/06/how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-and-embrace-the-security-freeze/

...credit monitoring services aren't really built to prevent ID theft. The most you can hope for from a credit monitoring service is that they give you a heads up when ID theft does happen, and then help you through the often labyrinthine process of getting the credit bureaus and/or creditors to remove the fraudulent activity and to fix your credit score.

More info:
https://www.theverge.com/2017/9/8/16276194/credit-freeze-equifax-how-to-data-breach

Also, people may want to opt out of pre-approved credit offers.

ID thieves like to intercept offers of new credit and insurance sent via postal mail, so it's a good idea to opt out of pre-approved credit offers. If you decide that you don't want to receive prescreened offers of credit and insurance, you have two choices: You can opt out of receiving them for five years or opt out of receiving them permanently.

To opt out for five years: Call toll-free 1-888-5-OPT-OUT (1-888-567-8688) or visit www.optoutprescreen.com. The phone number and website are operated by the major consumer reporting companies.

To opt out permanently: You can begin the permanent Opt-Out process online at www.optoutprescreen.com. To complete your request, you must return the signed Permanent Opt-Out Election form, which will be provided after you initiate your online request.
 
I get discover, capital one, and mint monthly credit scores. Mint and capital one also tell me the number of credit lines.

if I notice them change can I "fix" fraudulent transaction?

I'd really like not to have to put a freeze on my account
 

KHarvey16

Member
I get discover, capital one, and mint monthly credit scores. Mint and capital one also tell me the number of credit lines.

if I notice them change can I "fix" fraudulent transaction?

I'd really like not to have to put a freeze on my account

If you notice it you can deal with it but I'm sure it will be way, way more work than just freezing.

There's really almost no down sides to freezing other than cost.
 

Zoe

Member
I get discover, capital one, and mint monthly credit scores. Mint and capital one also tell me the number of credit lines.

if I notice them change can I "fix" fraudulent transaction?

I'd really like not to have to put a freeze on my account
Yes. If you see something you don't recognize on your alerts, you can dispute it with the agency.
 

Blader

Member
No, it's not a drastic step. If you wait until something happens to find out if (when) you're affected, have fun spending at least a few months untangling the fraudulent activity and trying to fix your credit score.

https://krebsonsecurity.com/2015/06/how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-and-embrace-the-security-freeze/

If you notice it you can deal with it but I'm sure it will be way, way more work than just freezing.

There's really almost no down sides to freezing other than cost.

What's the cost to it?
 

O_Atoll

Member
Question:

Lets say i freeze all my accounts (Equafax, Exerian and Transunion) and want to guy a car or open up an account. Do i have to unfreeze all 3 or just 1?
 

epmode

Member
Question:

Lets say i freeze all my accounts (Equafax, Exerian and Transunion) and want to guy a car or open up an account. Do i have to unfreeze all 3 or just 1?

Try to find out which agency they'll use to check your credit and just unfreeze that one. If they don't/can't tell, you have to do all three.
 

Izayoi

Banned
Thanks for the info. There has to be a better way. Our credit system is fucked up.
The unintended benefit of this whole debacle is that it is facilitating a real, serious conversation about the way credit works in modern society. Hopefully some serious change will come about as a result.
 

IronRinn

Member
Both Transunion and Equifax's sites aren't letting me do a security freeze. Guess I'll have to call when I get home. And screw PA for charging $10/$10.
 
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