Business

Consumer experts inundated with calls about the Equifax breach

Callers are inundating The Consumer Action Center with concerns about the Equifax breach.

Dorothy is a volunteer with Clark Howard. She says, "We are up to our necks and then some with questions about the security hacking, you know Equifax hacking."

Callers want to know how to find out if they are a victim and if so, what to do.

Clark Howard says, "Equifax has failed to this point to offer any meaningful protection for consumers."

He says this is a lifelong problem for people affected. "It's so extensive that at any time, at any point for decades to come, a criminal can take over your identity," Howard explains.

The only way to protect your self is to freeze your credit. A credit freeze closes your credit reports and provides a personal identification number that only you know, and can use to temporarily “thaw” your credit when you need to apply for credit.

Equifax has announced that it would waive all fees for the next 30 days for people who want to freeze their Equifax credit files.

The credit reporting agency is also trying to get you to purchase a service that monitors your credit.

Lori Silverman in the Consumer Action Center says, "Don’t do it, all you need to do is freeze your credit."

For more tips, visit Clark Howard’s site.

And check if you are a victim of the Equifax breach on the agency’s website.

Listen

news

weather

traffic

mobile apps

Everything you love about wsbradio.com and more! Tap on any of the buttons below to download our app.

amazon alexa

Enable our Skill today to listen live at home on your Alexa Devices!