Change HealthCare Data Breach - Lock Your Credit

[alarmguy]

I touched on this in another thread however I think it deserves its own thread.
Why? It's no secret in here that I am a big promoter of telling people to go online and lock their credit reports with all three major credit reporting agencies and even a fourth commercial reporting agency.
The cost is FREE, so why do 85% of Americans ignore this free service? Yet we hear about hacks and stealing of private information everyday. It's like, people are begging to get hacked when something like this is free, making it impossible for a stranger to have access to your credit report, unless they are good and can hack into that I guess, either way its a huge road block.

Recently one of the biggest hacks just took place. Not sure if they even got past the tip of the iceberg. It was big and chances are you got or will get a letter in the mail about it. However at this time, they only know of 500 people who had information hacked.
You can verify this by doing your own search for Change Healthcare Data Breach.

Bottom line is all Americans private information is "out there" someplace in a dark website. The thing is there is so much of it the hackers can not use all the information from 200+ million American households. It's just a matter of who they pick and they will take the cream of the crop regarding how much and how easy it will be with the information that they have on you. Well, one big deterrent can be if you have your credit locked.

How much information is out there on you? TONS and why you should lock your credit. You're just a fish in a pond, one of 200 million fishes. How lucky are you feeling?
Here is a government website, this is ONLY the health care industry, never mind any other place you gave out your Social Security number. Think that local car dealership has state of the art secure network?

Never mind what might be the biggest hack in recent memory posted above that you may have got a letter in the mail about already, coast to coast regarding Change Health Care.

Here is a 849 page list of CURRENT health care hacks currently under investigation by our government. This is just heath care!

https://ocrportal.hhs.gov/ocr/breach/breach_report.jsf

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[racer12306]

I need to do that. We were in the process of buying a car when we got notified, and then switching banks, not knowing what they may need from that.

Being able to freeze your credit reports for free is about the only good thing that came from the Equifax hack. If you don't need to buy something with credit, your credit doesn't need to be accessible.

The fact that we let these companies throw out 1 or 2 years of free credit monitoring, say "my bad" and call it a day is disgusting.

 

[Pablo]

Our credit is locked and now we also have multiple (free) monitoring services running. I get cranky that so many of these, fake or real, involve health care data. This company I never heard of until this breach!

Also I advise whenever practical lock down who and how money can be transferred at your institutions.

My quandary now; How much good does layering up this monitoring do. Is 3 good, 6 better? Meh, diminishing returns.

The fact that we let these companies throw out 1 or 2 years of free credit monitoring, say "my bad" and call it a day is disgusting.

These companies. I mean yeah maybe they have a job to do. But if protecting data is not #1, they should be booted out of the loop.

 

[JMJNet]

Which one is the "fourth commercial reporting agency"?

 

[tmorris1]

I thought the most ridiculous thing about the Experion breach a few years ago was they gave everyone Experion Credit monitoring as a reimbursement. What good is credit monitoring from the same company that was breached?

 

[Pew]

Yep I locked my credit after a thread here a few years ago; even though I haven't had my info stolen before (other than someone card skimmed once in Nevada.) Immediately I got less junk mail about loans, credit cards, and other similar offers. I talked a friend, who just started his credit history, into locking his a few weeks ago too.

 

[Pablo]

I thought the most ridiculous thing about the Experion breach a few years ago was they gave everyone Experion Credit monitoring as a reimbursement. What good is credit monitoring from the same company that was breached?

That was the one where I patented my saying here.

These clowns had only one job to do and they completely FUBAR!

 

[tmorris1]

If you lock your credit it only stops you from opening new credit accounts, correct? Your current accounts will still be able to report your credit as you pay off loans etc?

 

[alarmguy]

Which one is the "fourth commercial reporting agency"?

There are a number of "secondary" reporting agencies. I believe this is a must for the business world much like the major three for the consumer world and a good idea to lock it. They are very responsive, there is no charge and they will activate and USPS mail that lock and it is the one to lock besides the major 3.
Innovis is the agency and a solid 4th place as far as size I believe. They even sent me USPS mail to confirm that I moved last year to a new address. You do not have to unlock them for standard everyday consumer stuff such as loans on cars, boats and homes etc. Actually you may never have to ever unlock the account. I believe this is to prevent business loan fraud using your name and information or something to that effect. All you do is lock your credit with them, keep correspondence in a safe place in your home so you remember you have it. Other than that. That is it.
https://www.innovis.com/personal/securityFreeze

 

[IveBeenRued]

Our credit is locked and now we also have multiple (free) monitoring services running.

Just keep in mind that those “free” monitoring services are actively selling your information to data brokers, advertisers, and potential creditors which potential increases your overall attack surface.

Another good layer of defense is a hiring a data deletion service such as DeleteMe, Incogni, or the like to get yourself out of those databases. Also, everyone can request LexisNexis “information suppression” requests for free.

 

[alarmguy]

If you lock your credit it only stops you from opening new credit accounts, correct? Your current accounts will still be able to report your credit as you pay off loans etc?

Yes, locking your credit report prevents companies from accessing your file as they do when making loans.
The agencies still receive ALL information on a monthly basis ANY and ALL ACTIVITY that you do as a consumer paying off debt is reported. Meaning there is no escaping credit reporting agencies endlessly collecting data on you and scoring you. Also almost anyone has access (ex. insurance agencies) to your file and credit score. What a lock does do is prevent loans from being taken out on you.
You will still have your credit score available to you. I have got stuck at 839 which I am still thrilled with. I hit 850 was a couple years back for 3 months. *LOL* I didnt think that was possible but then found out with a search it is not all that unusual as I thought.

Took a small hit last year buying a home (if you can call it that) and multiple credit inquires.

"Locking or freezing your Equifax credit report will prevent access to it by certain third parties. Locking or freezing your Equifax credit report will not prevent access to your credit report at any other credit bureau. Entities that may still have access to your Equifax credit report include:

• Companies like Equifax Global Consumer Solutions, which provide you with access to your credit report or credit score, or monitor your credit report as part of a subscription or similar service;
• Companies that provide you with a copy of your credit report or credit score, upon your request;
• Federal, state, and local government agencies and courts in certain circumstances;
• Companies using the information in connection with the underwriting of insurance, or for employment, tenant or background screening purposes;
• Companies that have a current account or relationship with you, and collection agencies acting on behalf of those whom you owe;
• Companies that authenticate a consumer’s identity for purposes other than granting credit, or for investigating or preventing actual or potential fraud; and
• Companies that wish to make pre-approved offers of credit or insurance to you. To opt out of such pre-approved offers, visit www.optoutprescreen.com."

Source-
https://www.equifax.com/personal/help/article-list/-/h/a/access-view-frozen-locked-credit-report

 

[Pablo]

Just keep in mind that those “free” monitoring services are actively selling your information to data brokers, advertisers, and potential creditors which potential increases your overall attack surface.

Another good layer of defense is a hiring a data deletion service such as DeleteMe, Incogni, or the like to get yourself out of those databases. Also, everyone can request LexisNexis “information suppression” requests for free.

1) I figured as much. Hence why the wife and I will watch the "Change" thing unfold, just don't need more so called free monitoring. I've not seen an increase. Yet.

2) I'm running Incogni. Can you really tell me it's something good? Seems hocus pocus like and the things they supposedly clear? Hmmm. Dunno.

3) Yes LexisNexis for certain folks to opt out

 

[IveBeenRued]

1) I figured as much. Hence why the wife and I will watch the "Change" thing unfold, just don't need more so called free monitoring. I've not seen an increase. Yet.

2) I'm running Incogni. Can you really tell me it's something good? Seems hocus pocus like and the things they supposedly clear? Hmmm. Dunno.

3) Yes LexisNexis for certain folks to opt out

I’m personally using DeleteMe but I’ve also heard good things about Incogni. If you search for your own selectors on the internet on various search engines, you should see a significant decrease in the amount of data the brokers have on you. Obviously these services can’t delete targeting packages that are for sale on the dark-web but they do a great job of decreasing the amount of aggregate information less technically competent people can compile on you. I get a quarterly report on each of my family members and I’m shocked to see what new brokers get our information every three months.