Equifax Fraud Alert Number Scam: How It Works
The recent Equifax data breach is the largest in US history, affecting 145 million people. Use full identity theft protection this week while a new scam known as the Equifax Fraud Alert Number is making its rounds. In this article, you will learn how the scam works, how to report it, how to block robocalls and how to access Equifax's official page about the data breach.
Criminals are calling consumers claiming to be Equifax officials in order to steal their personal information. Scammers say they represent Equifax calling to verify your account information and to give you an update about the situation.
The gravity of the situation comes from the fact that many people fall for it after seeing the name of Equifax on their phone call display, while crooks are using a technology named Caller ID spoofing.
Equifax Data Breach Fraud Call: How To Avoid
If you receive this phone call, hang up, as Equifax does not call you out of the blue. As a rule of thumb, do not answer calls from unknown numbers.
If it is a legitimate representative of the organization, they will leave a message. Sure enough, scammers can do that too, but you have more time to think and to research online the number who called you.
Equifax Fraud Alert Number Scam: How To Report
Make your family and friends aware of this scam by sharing it, including the phone numbers calling you. You can also officially report the phone numbers of the scammers to the Federal Trade Commission using the link below:
How Can You Block Robocalls?
Check out Nomorobo.com. This is an app that takes consumers off any phone call that comes in as a robo-call, an automated or machine-made call. The service is free for landlines and only $1.99 for iPhones. The company claims a version for Android is in the making.
If it's a bit too late now and already gave your personal information to a criminal, change the compromised passwords, account numbers and security questions. If you're concerned about identity theft, visit IdentityTheft.gov to learn how you can protect yourself.
Want More Information About The Equifax Data Breach?
For more information about the Equifax breach, visit its official website. Back in September Equifax has set up an online registry. There you can check the status using your last name and the last six digits of your Social Security number.
Make sure you get a copy of your credit report from AnnualCreditReport.com.
Keep an eye on your mail for anything unusual, as well as check your bank accounts weekly for criminal signs. When applying for a loan or a government benefit, ask if someone has been using your Social Security number.
Request your annual Social Security benefits statement online and check it out for anything suspicious.
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Are you just about to make a purchase online? See if the website is legit with our validator:
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