What Should You Do When You Receive a Data Breach Notice?
A data breach notification tells us that our Personal data was leaked. In 2024 alone, major data breaches will occur in national public data, changing healthcare and Ticket Masterputting millions of consumers at risk of financial fraud and identity theft.
“On average, we have eight to nine data breaches every day.” Weiqing SunDirector of the Cybersecurity Master’s Program at the University of Toledo. “More frequent and severe data breaches will occur and continue to impact each of us.”
If you receive a data breach letter in the mail, don’t ignore it. It will notify you that an unauthorized party has gained access to internal company data and may have your personally identifiable information, such as your name, phone number, social security number etc.
Here’s everything you should know about data breach notifications.
What is included in a data breach notification?
Data breach notifications typically include the following information:
- Details about how and when the breach occurred
- A list of your personal data that may have been leaked to hackers
- Explain the steps the company takes to protect your data after the fact
- Tips to help you keep your identity safe
The company will make periodic free payments identity theft or Credit monitoring Provide services to affected customers. An activation code is provided in the letter, but you must create an account yourself to take advantage of this offer. Depending on the severity of the violation, the free warranty can last up to two years in most cases.
Identity theft protection services help monitor your sensitive data on the dark web. Sometimes, these services can alert you that your data has been compromised before you receive notification. Best of all, they also offer identity recovery services if your identity is stolen.
“Try to use these services to get protection,” Sun said.
When and how will the company send me a data breach notification?
All states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands laws passed Require companies to notify customers of data breaches. The length of time varies by state, but notifications are typically sent within 60 days of discovery of a data breach.
Data breach notifications are sent via email. If you receive a notification Email, text or phone callthis is probably a scam. Sun said if you have any questions about the legality of a notice claiming your sensitive data has been compromised, contact the company directly or search online for reports of the breach.
In addition to affected customers, companies affected by cyberattacks may alert state attorney general’s offices, law enforcement, the three major credit bureaus and government agencies. Securities and Exchange Commissiondepending on the severity of the violation or state regulations.
What should I do if I receive a letter in the mail?
If you receive a data breach notification in the mail, please follow the advice in the letter and take it seriously. You should be wary of phishing attacks and check your Experian, TransUnion and Equifax Credit reports of unauthorized accounts opened in your name.
If the company offers free identity theft protection, sign up. Once your membership expires, you’ll need to decide whether to pay to continue using the service or subscribe to another provider.
If your data is involved in a data breach again in the future, you can sign up for other free services that will be offered to you later.
What steps can I take to protect my data?
Even if you don’t use an identity theft protection service, you can do these four things for free to protect yourself:
1. Change the password of the stolen account and any other accounts with the same login credentials.
2. Check your credit and debit card statements at least once a month and look for anything unusual
3. Freeze your credit This way no one can apply for a credit line in your name (you’ll have to unfreeze it yourself if you want to open a new account)
4. stay alert Phishing attack Cybercriminals use your compromised information to trick you into sharing financial account information or other sensitive data
