T-Mobile just released more information on their recent data breach. The numbers are a bit staggering; you may want to sit down for this. The company confirmed records of over 40 million “former or prospective customers” who applied for credit and 7.8 million postpaid customers with current contracts have had their data stolen. To put this in perspective, in their last earnings report T-Mobile mentioned it had over 104 million customers.
This is sensitive data, when you apply for credit, they collect it all: phone numbers, names, social security numbers, emails, passwords, and pins. T-Mobile is taking action to reset pins and notify affected customers. They are also offering two years of free identity protection services from McAfee, but this brings up a repeat concern around trust. This is the fourth data breach exposed for T-Mobile in the last few years. This outlines a widespread concern. With so much of your sensitive personal information being handed over to companies, large and small, how do you stay protected?
What now? What can you do to protect yourself?
1. Confirm whether your information was exposed or not?
Did you get a notice? Be extremely cautious and careful around notices sent through email, this could be potential hackers sending out a false notice with links that will download harmful software to your device. This is another large point of staying aware. Ransomware attacks are on the rise and harder to spot.
Go directly to the company’s secure website or call to confirm the breach. See if your individual information was compromised.
2. Get an Identity Protection Service
Either get your own or consider accepting the company’s offered identity protection service. It is important to note here that if you accept the offer from the company, you are often waiving your right to be compensated should something happen further down the road. Let’s say your identity does get stolen and significant damage done, then you would not be able to take legal action against the company if you accept their offer. Well, at least it would be more difficult to.
Identity protection might seem like a costly expense, but anyone who has been through the hassle of having their identity stolen can tell you it is well worth it. Think of it like your insurance, you will wish you had coverage, but hope you never need it. However, the likelihood of data breaches and events of ransomware are all on the rise.
3. Change and Strengthen Your Online logins, passwords, and security Q&As
This one should be a given, but it needs said. Change your passwords. Even better, set up two-step verification wherever available. Sure, it is a hassle to wait for that text or email to get in, but that’s what keeps your data safe.
Make sure those passwords are complex and the security questions and answers are not common knowledge. I will often put in answers to those security questions that do not actually answer the question. If it is asking for a childhood street name then maybe put in some numbers and something that is not a street name like a severe misspelling, example: 6235SALXYZW. Now you might be thinking, no way can I remember this. That’s where you can have a secure password manager to help keep your personal information manageable but complex and secure.
4. Freeze Your Credit, and even your children’s credit
If you are not currently needing your credit available or you are not applying for anything, then freeze your credit! You can always unfreeze it when your situation changes. It is simple to do and free! However, when you do freeze it you will receive a pin to unfreeze it and you will want to save that as it is more difficult to lift without it. At the very least, you should set up a security alert on when your credit is being accessed.
You will also want to do this for your minor children. In most cases no file will exist, but children offer a blank slate for fraudsters to apply for credit and take out loans in their name. The worst part is this will not likely get noticed for years. Below are the links to freeze credit with all three credit bureaus:
- Experian: How to Add a Security Freeze to Your Credit File
- Experian – Child: Requesting a Security Freeze for a Minor Child’s Credit Report
- TransUnion: Credit Freeze
- TransUnion – Child: Freeze Support Center
- Equifax: Security Freeze
- Equifax – Child: Freezing Your Child’s Credit
5. Notify your Medical, Financial, and other important providers of the breach
Often people skip this step. Very determined thieves can go phishing with your data at every facet of life. A phone call to your bank to set up added security measures or note that there has been compromised personal data will allow them to be on high alert for possible fraudsters. They may have security measures you were not aware of like special verbal passwords or voice authentication.
6. Keep your security, virus, and spyware software up to date
This might be something your work environment does automatically, but something you might not have done for a while on your home devices. If you use something like Norton or other virus protection software, be sure to have it on all your devices, phone, tablet, laptops, desktops, and for those of you with smart thermostats or refrigerators, make sure these have protection of some kind as well.
Always be wary of unknown emails, mail, and phone calls. Never give out your personal information via email. If an email has a link and you do not recognize the sender, do not click. Identify this as junk or spam. Shred personal information you plan on tossing. Be sure to read statements and pay attention to any red flags.
7. Be Social Media Savvy
If you are off on vacation posting shots sipping Mai Tais on the beach, well good for you, but make those photos more private so the public does not have an opportunity to know you are not home. You may have posted your adorable dog photo and talked about how Spike is the best. This might be used to hack into accounts, as you might use Spike in your passwords. Not to mention your birthdate. What is even more concerning are the photos themselves. You do not know who is downloading this and creating multiple social media sites with your identity. Google yourself often to see what sites come up. A rule of thumb is to just think about the post, what if this was public and not just my contacts, would you still post?
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