Equifax Data Breach: A Lesson And What Happens Now

A lesson from the Equifax data breach – in the cyber security realm, we look at networks as falling into two categories: those that have been breached, and those that are going to get breached. It is clear for all Americans to see now, that the same is true of personal information, too. Either your personal information has been leaked, or it is going to get leaked.

Whether its Target, OPM (Office of Personnel Management), or Equifax – neither the government or corporations can protect individual privacy — at least not with the existing American system built upon the stone-aged nine digit SSN (Social Security Number). An entirely new system, based on block chain technology, will need to be developed. This will take years, if not decades, to accomplish – think of The Marshall Plan for personal privacy.

In reply to your opting out of Equifax, I just had a 5 day ordeal with them. We were listed as probable victims of the hack. So we tried to do an online “freeze” with Equifax on Saturday.

I was able to complete all but the last webpage, had paid the 10 bucks (because it said unless you mailed them a police report of being an ID theft victim, you could not freeze for free), then I got to the last page where you were supposed to print out some very important info, including the PIN to unfreeze the info in the future. That last step, the printing out, could not be done because the page was blank.

I immediately used their online contact, explaining the situation, and it is now 5 days later with no response other than the auto response when I clicked the “send a question” box. I expect to never get an email response.

Equifax has many phone numbers. Many of the numbers disconnect after they ask you to hold. Then this morning I called the “business only” number, and low and behold a man came on the line. I told him my situation. He was an American. He gave me a number he promised would lead me to a person. I said I’d eat my hat if that happened. He laughed. He said he would connect me. I said OK, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. He laughed,was a nice guy throughout our short conversation. After 8 minutes of silence, he DID come back on the line and had a “Shaneez” (made up name, the gal was east indian) on the line with us.

I could barely understand her. Very frustrating. Her asking for my SS# was not welcome and I said I already filled out the online form and had a case number for my problem. She insisted she could not tell me if I had a legit “freeze” or help with the PIN number unless I gave her my SS number. Reluctantly I did. Makes me queasy just to think of it. But I said to her, well Equifax let the rest of the world have it anyway, so why not.

She then confirmed my online freeze and said they would snail mail me my PIN and the confirmation number of the transaction.

While I had her on the phone I said WAIT. I want you to do a freeze on my husband’s info, incase the website would fail again.

So he went through the process, while rolling his eyes and telling her at times that he didn’t understand her, and she did his freeze, but for FREE because of the trouble with the hack.

Before he hung up, I asked her if I could get a refund on the 10 bucks I charged Saturday, but she said no, because it was an online purchase.

Here is the number the American man from Equifax promised would get me to a person.

Like I said, I had him connect me, because I didn’t believe any number was valid despite his promises.

1-888-298-0045

That is a consumer line, not necessarily only for freezing credit reports like we did.

You can’t really “opt out” of these slimy companies that have our sensitive data. I am sure decades ago, some Swamp Members in DC, sold their souls to the devil, got lobbyist money and made it legal for these leaches to steal our info and sell it.

We did find a way to OPT OUT of part of their scam. You can opt out of having the credit reporters sell your info to marketers of many kinds.

https://www.optoutprescreen.com/opt_form.cgi

That is the page from Transunion we filled out and snail mailed our opt out forms to.

*Notice the form is pre-selected with a dot to stay opted IN, you have to unclick that, and click the permanent opt out that requires you snail mail the form with your signature.

If the above link doesn’t work, go to here: and choose the opt out at the right. This opts out of all the credit companies at once, but again, it’s only opting out of marketing companies who use credit places to bother people with credit card offers and other things.

https://www.transunion.com/customer-support/main

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