Friday, August 16, 2024

It seems like every day we hear about a new scheme or another company exposed by a data breach. While this news can be unsettling, the best thing you can do right now is protect yourself and your personal information.

It’s important to act quickly to make it harder for scammers to use your compromised data to steal your money or credit. Also, remember that if your data is leaked in a security breach, North Carolina law requires the compromised company or agency responsible for your information to report it to you and our office.

Following our tips below can help you prevent identity theft:

• Check your credit reports regularly. You can request – free of charge – your credit report from each of the three nationwide consumer credit reporting companies (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) every 12 months. So order a report from one credit bureau every 4 months at https://www.annualcreditreport.com. This is a great way to monitor your credit for free.
• Monitor your credit. Credit monitoring services are another way to track your credit report. The services will usually alert you whenever a change is made, such as a new account or a large purchase. Most services will notify you within 24 hours of any change to your credit report. There is usually a fee associated with credit monitoring services, but some breach notices you may receive come with an offer of free credit monitoring.
• Place a free security freeze on your credit report. Before you even receive a data breach notice, go ahead and freeze your credit. Identity thieves will not be able to open a new credit account in your name while the freeze is in place. You can place a credit freeze by contacting each of the three major credit bureaus:
• Keep an eye out. Hang on to unusual mail and digital notices from unknown lenders or businesses. Take note when local agencies and news services bring attention to new data breaches in your area.
• Report any potential identity theft to your local law enforcement agency. Oftentimes, law enforcement will not issue you a police report for your stolen private information until an identity thief actually uses your data. If you suspect that your information is being used by an identity thief, contact local law enforcement immediately.

If you believe that you have been the victim of identity fraud, contact our office’s Consumer Protection Division at www.ncdoj.gov/complaint or 1-877-5-NO-SCAM.