It’s a Good Idea to Freeze Your Credit. But Not Just Because of DOGE
Ministry of Finance awarded Elon Musk the Ministry of Efficiency Access its payment system This week, the decision has attracted a lot of criticism from federal employees, lawmakers and citizens.
A deal after a lawsuit filed by a group of federal employees temporarily stopped sharing sensitive data with Doge until a judge could hear legal arguments, According to Reuters.
Two members of Doge have received “read-only” access social SecurityMedicare, Medicaid, etc. The plaintiff argued that Musk and Doyle illegally searched for them. NGO Advisory Group, by President Donald Trump’s executive orderIn the process, you can also access the social security number of most taxpayers.
This has caused the importance of chatting on social media platforms such as X and Tiktok Freeze your creditAs government regulators and politicians claim that there are countless Americans with social insurance numbers that may be at risk Doge is bypassing established cybersecurity practices and regulations.
As a cybersecurity editor, whatever the reason, I agree with Americans freezing their credibility.
However, there are elephants in the room that must be recognized: your social security number may have been compromised.
Why your SSN may have been compromised
No data breach related to Doge’s activity yet – no. However, countless others have revealed personal identifiable data from everyday people. Last year, at least 196 data compromises, more than 860 million The victim noticed According to the company, Identity Theft Resource Center. Background search company hacker National Public Data and UnitedHealth Group subsidiary Change health care Personal information is revealed based on the personal information of hundreds of millions of people alone.
If cybercriminals have your social security numbers in hand, they can cause a lot of damage. For example, they can take it out Credit limit Tax on behalf of your name or file Steal your tax return.
Cyber ​​criminals are also known Hand-targeted phishing scams Deprive you of hard-earned money or sensitive information by phone, text message or email. Some bad actors even adopted AI helps speed up efforts And create new scammers Deep fakes.
How do I protect my identity if my SSN is exposed?
If you are worried that your Social Security number has been breached or want to be proactive, there are many steps you can take to protect your identity.
Freeze your credit report
Freeze your credit report Three major credit bureaus (Transunion, Experian and Equifax) Block anyone from opening up their credit lines in your name. This includes you. So if you want mortgagecar loan or Apply for a new credit card When credit freezes, you must “thaw” or liberate the credit report first.
Freezing your credit is completely free. I actually did it myself last year. Found this process Very easy. You can also freeze your child’s credit report, although some extra steps are required.
Registered Identity Theft Protection
Identity theft protection services help monitor your personal data on the dark web. They are too Monitor your credit reports and bank accounts If you’re too lazy to do it yourself, I really like it.
Most plans have identity theft protection insurance and white glove repair services. The latter means that a dedicated recovery specialist will handle most of the grunts that restore your identity, including Dispute with the Credit Bureau and contact different financial institutions.
Personal ID Theft Plan Prices range from $7 to $15, but there are many family options and even suitable for available couples. If you are just interested in following your credit report, you can Consider credit monitoring services.
Lock your Social Security Number
you can Lock your Social Security Number Social Security Administration via phone or create an electronic verification account.
Locking your SSN will prevent bad actors from collecting government benefits and Apply for your name. However, similar to freezing credit, you have to delete the lock on the SSN to perform these operations.
Don’t carry your social insurance card with you
Your social security card should be kept in a safe place, ideally only you know the security of the combination. Never carry it with you unless absolutely necessary.
Don’t cover up your SSN, either
Be careful with your SSN. Your SSN is required when you apply for a job or file a tax return. However, you can ask anyone why you need it for your SSN. Some common tasks, such as getting a driver’s license or applying for subsidized housing, do not require you to share your SSN.
