Notes from the Pastor
February 17, 2025
Susan Harris forwarded this article from the Washington Post and I thought it prudent to pass it along. What you do with the information is totally up to you, however as we are ever attentive to how we might protect the most vulnerable in our community, we also need to protect ourselves. It’s not great news, but there isn’t much of that coming out of Washington right now so we have to focus on the Good News, which is to love all that is sacred without hearts, souls and minds and to love our neighbors as ourselves.
With liberation in our hearts,
Curran
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From the Washington Post
by Michelle Singletary
We have lost control of our data.
Our personal information — Social Security number, email and passwords — is not as protected as companies would have us believe. Once they have it, criminals sell it like a knockoff designer handbag, confident they probably won’t be caught or punished.
Last week, we learned about another compromised security system, this one affecting National Public Data, which offers a range of services used by private investigators, staffing agencies and public record sites.
The company said the stolen information may include people’s names, email addresses, phone numbers, Social Security numbers and mailing addresses.
How worried should you be?
National Public Data didn’t say how many consumers were affected, though, given the database, it could entail hundreds of millions of Americans.
“The incident is believed to have involved a third-party bad actor that was trying to hack into data in late December 2023, with potential leaks of certain data in April 2024 and summer 2024,” the company said in a statement on its website.
I thought it shockingly tone-deaf that the company “strongly” advised consumers to “take preventive measures to help prevent and detect any misuse of your information.”
After the news of this latest breach, a friend texted me in a panic.
“Should I freeze my credit files?” she asked.
Yes, you should, according to Brian Krebs, author of the security blog Krebs on Security. This prevents your credit report from being accessed without your permission, making it harder for swindlers to take out loans or open new credit cards in your name.
“We don’t have control over this information, so you should exercise what little control you have,” Krebs said. “If you’re really worried about your credit file being compromised, you should just freeze your credit.”
When there is a breach, consumers are told, among other steps, to place a fraud alert on their credit files or freeze them.
There are pros and cons to both options. Here’s why one is better than the other.
Fraud alert
A fraud alert is a red flag telling creditors to contact you before new credit is opened in your name or changes are made to existing accounts. You can place this notice on your credit reports if you’re concerned you are or may become a victim of identity theft.
Pros:
You need to contact only one of the three major credit bureaus to set up an alert — Equifax, Experian or TransUnion. The credit bureau you contact must then notify the others to place an alert on your credit reports.
It’s free.
A fraud alert does not affect your credit score.
The alert lasts one year. If you want to keep it, you have to renew it.
Victims of identity theft can keep a fraud alert in place for seven years. To get an extended fraud alert, submit an identity theft report to the Federal Trade Commission at IdentityTheft.gov or file a police report.
You can add or remove a fraud alert at any time. You don’t have to remove the alert if you’re shopping for a loan.
Cons:
It’s easy for folks to forget to renew a fraud alert.
With a fraud alert, a lender is supposed to verify your identity before it issues credit. But this doesn’t always happen. “Not all creditors are going to respect that restriction,” Krebs said. “Some of them pull up your credit anyway.”
Credit freeze
With a freeze, the credit bureau can’t release any information in your file without your permission. For it to be truly effective, you need to request a freeze at each of the three bureaus by following these links — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
Pros:
It is much more potent than putting a fraud alert on your credit report.
Placing and lifting the freeze is free.
It doesn’t take long to lift a freeze. A credit file can be unfrozen online or by phone within minutes, although you should allow up to an hour.
Freezing your credit does not affect your credit score.
Cons:
Instant credit offers may not be so quick. When you want to apply for a credit card or need someone to view your file for any other reason, you must unfreeze your credit report. Mailing takes longer. Agencies must lift the freeze within three business days after receiving a mailed request.
Companies can still access credit files. Financial companies you do business with — or which you owe money — can still view your files. Any federal, state or local agency, as well as law enforcement, trial court, or private collection agency with a court order, warrant or subpoena, would have access.
Your file can also be viewed by any person using the information in connection with getting insurance or a background screening for housing or employment.
Should you feel completely safe with a credit freeze?
Nope, not at all.
There are still so many other ways hacked data can cause chaos in your financial life.
Criminals may have no interest in establishing credit in your name. Instead, they may use the information — current or past home addresses, your Social Security number, and email — to pose as a government employee or law enforcement official to con you out of your money.
Many financial scam victims have said the scammer knew so much about them that they thought the person was legitimate.
With so much of our data being stolen, having the ability to freeze and unfreeze your credit files is a good step toward protecting your identity. But don’t be overly confident. You are vulnerable.”
