Capital One Breach: 5 Things Cardholders Need to Do Right Now
It was recently announced that Capital One has suffered a security breach, and there some things [...]
Do A Credit Freeze
The @CapitalOne breach involves more than 100 million customer records and is unlike any other major hack . Here's tips to help secure and safeguard your accounts against future attacks. https://t.co/U58vuEnGR4#GovWolfCFPI #investorprotection pic.twitter.com/qUr0jB36vr
— Robin L. Wiessmann (@SecWiessmann) July 31, 2019
Most security experts agree that freezing your credit is an important step in protecting yourself from hackers.
The three credit bureaus are Equifax, Transunion, and Experian, and all three offer free credit freezing.
"This is the best way to prevent a criminal from opening an unauthorized account in your name," Rossman added. "Unfortunately, only about one in four U.S. adults have frozen their credit."
prevnextStart Using A Two-Factor Authentication Process
Using two-factor authentication adds a layer of security to your private information that can better protect it from hackers. The most common form of this type of security is when a company texts a one-use code that allows you to access your account with them.
Using this protects your information because a hacker would have to have access to your cell phone in order to get into your account.
prevnextGet A Credit Monitoring Service
First #Equifax now #CapitalOne, these banking data breaches are getting OUT of control. Here's a breakdown of what's going on + how you can get some money if you were affected.
— Joyce Philippe (@JoyceMeetsWorld) July 31, 2019
💵💰💵 #TechTalk pic.twitter.com/0lP1jX5IFV
Signing up for a credit monitoring service can help protect you because your private info will always be looked after. You will also be notified if there is any type of suspicious activity with your information.
There are even some websites that offer free credit monitoring.
prevnextBe Vigilant About Phishing Scams
Phishing is defined as "the fraudulent practice of sending emails purporting to be from reputable companies in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers."
It is very important to not access emails and websites that appear to be fake.
Capital One is even asking for consumers to forward any suspicious emails to them, and then immediately delete it.
prevnextUpdate Your Passwords Often
A hacker gained access to 100 million Capital One credit card applications and accounts which explains their new slogan. #Meanwhile #LateShowLIVE pic.twitter.com/S1Lrpe1d7V
— The Late Show (@colbertlateshow) July 31, 2019
The last step you can take to better protect yourself from identity theft, is regularly changing your passwords.
The longer you keep a password, and the more often you use it, the easier it can be for hackers to figure out.
"Use a password aggregator such as LastPass to ensure strong, unique passwords for all of your logins," Rossman suggested. "We found that more than 8 in 10 U.S. adults re-use passwords, which is a major security vulnerability."
prevnextHow to Know If You Were Affected By The Breach
At the moment, there is no proactive action you can take to determine if you were one of the individuals whose information was accessed in the breach.
CNET reports that Capital One will be notifying those affected directly.
prevnextWhat Action is Capital One Taking?
A hacker accessed personal information of over 100 million Capital One credit-card customers and applicants. Here’s what you need to know to protect your information, from @juliaccarpenter. #WSJWhatsNow pic.twitter.com/DOJHLlRYRW
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) July 30, 2019
Capital one says that it has fixed the error that allowed the private information to be accessed.
They have also reportedly claimed that they will offer free credit monitoring and free identity protection to anyone affected.
prevnextWhat To Do If You Suspect Fraud
If you suspect any fraudulent activity that might be related to this situation, you should place a fraud alert with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. This will notify Capital One of what has happened.
You should also contact the fraud department for the credit card company, or companies, where you notice suspicious activity.
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