[conspire] Fwd: Equifax data theft - this is a big deal

[Nick Moffitt]

There have been a number of concerns with the site Equifax set up to
deal with the compromise.

First of all, people noted that putting in last name "Test" and last six digits of SSN "123456" told them they were vulnerable.  I've seen a lot of "Smith 123456" and "Smith 000000" showing positive as well, but it does seem there are negative results.  Either way, giving six digits of SSN seems like more than I'd be willing to do over a Web site like this.

Second, even if you do accept that the result of the site is accurate,
it encourages you to do two things:

    1: Purchase services from Equifax to "protect" you.  This is a crass
       upsell.
    2: Waive your right to join a class-action lawsuit against Equifax.
       This is simply crass.

I do not know what the best course of action to take would be, but this
does not seem to be it.

On 10Sep2017 12:45AM (-0700), Elise Scher wrote:
> My friend is not so technical. But does she have a valid concern?
> 
> Elise Scher
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Susan Landes <intheflow88 at hotmail.com>
> Date: Sat, Sep 9, 2017 at 7:20 PM
> Subject: Equifax data theft - this is a big deal
> To: Susan Landes <intheflow88 at hotmail.com>
> 
> 
> Equifax reported a cyber theft yesterday - 143 Million people in the US (
> that's roughly half!) have had their name, social security number and birth
> date stolen.  This is huge - that is enough information to take loans out
> in your name, open credit card accounts, even break into your online
> banking and transfer money out of your account while you sleep.  And the
> risk never ends - the cyber thieves can use the information ten years from
> now as easily as tomorrow.  Because of the permanence of this threat,
> offers of 90 day fraud alert and 1 year of credit monitoring are woefully
> inadequate.
> 
> Every adult and every child with a bank account needs to go to
> www.equifaxsecurity2017.com and check if their information has been
> compromised.  If it has, you have my sympathy: this is going to be a life
> long battle for you.  It won't end until you get a new social security
> number.  I recommend that you do three things immediately.  First, contact
> Equifax, Experian and TransUnion and place a freeze on credit reports.
> This may cost $10 a bureau.  From this day forward, anything you do that
> requires a credit check (open an account, buy a car, rent an apartment...)
> will require that you use a PIN to temporarily thaw the credit freeze so
> the report can go through.  Note that business you already have a
> relationship with can access even frozen credit.  Second, for every account
> you have at a bank, credit union, investment company, mortgage company -
> anything to do with money, access their online interface and make sure they
> are verifying all important transactions with your cell phone.  Accounts
> you don't currently access online are particularly vulnerable - cyber
> criminals will create the account for you.  Third, on those same online
> accounts set up notifications so that you get an email or text if anything
> of significance happens.
> 
> Here is a more complete article talking about what to do:
> http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/09/08/heres-what-to-do-
> if-youre-worried-about-the-equifax-hack/?source=email&
> utm_source=postup&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=757360
> 
> You don't have to have ever interacted with Equifax or used their services
> to be at risk.  It is their business to harvest sensitive financial
> information about you without your knowledge or permission.
> 
> 
> It's hard to find the link at that site.  Here's where you find out if your
> data was stolen.  Mine was :(
> 
> https://trustedidpremier.com/eligibility/eligibility.html
> 
> This is a system in breakdown.  I look forward to seeing what replaces it.
> 
> Susan
> 
> "Whenever love is poured into your heart or sent out as a blessing to
> others, the light of all things awakens." -Matt Kahn
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> KI6PUO

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