Equifax Reveals Data Breach; How Can Someone Know if Their Credit Card, Personal Details Were Stolen?
U.S. consumer credit reporting agency Equifax has just announced that about 143 million people may be affected by a recent data breach.
The said hack involved cybercriminals stealing personal information of cosumers, including names, birth dates, addresses, Social Security numbers, and the even driver's license numbers.
According to a CNN Money, credit card numbers of roughly 209,000 have also been exposed, as well as personal information on about 182,000 individuals that have been or are still involved in credit report disputes.
"This is clearly a disappointing event, and one that strikes at the heart of who we are and what we do. I deeply regret this incident," Equifax CEO Rick Smith said in a video released by the company on Thursday.
For those who would like to find out if they are among those whose credit details and personal information have been stolen, CNET has provided instructions on how to use the program that Equifax has recently set up.
The first thing that users need to do is to go to the company's enrollment page and input the required information. According to the news outlet, several of their reporters who have tried out this process received two different results.
It was either Equifax provided them and enrollment date for credit monitoring or informed them that they have not been affected by the recent security breach. It is also still unclear whether or not receiving an enrollment date meant that someone was among the victims of the hacking.
For those who got an enrollment date, however, they are required to record it as Equifax will not be sending it via email. Also, the enrollment process needs to be completed by Nov. 21.
For more information, users can visit Equifax's website.
Equifax keeps track of and rates the financial history of consumers in the United States. They gather data from banks, credit card companies, retailers, and even lenders.
