Hear about the National Public Data Breach?

It is being reported that the Social Security numbers of potentially every American were stolen in a data breach. Yikes! Here are some safeguards you can take to protect yourself. 

1. Freeze your credit files with the three major bureaus (TransUnion, Equifax and Experian). This can easily be done by creating an account on their website. If you need to apply for new credit in the future you can always unfreeze them temporarily. 

   
   

2. Obtain an IRS identity protection pin. This ensures nobody can file a tax return using your SSN without this pin number. This can be obtained through your personal account on IRS.gov (click here). If this is the first time you are accessing it you will go through an ID verification. Feel free to reach out if you need assistance. 

   
   

3. Freeze your consumer file on chex systems (click here) which can prohibit the opening of accounts in your name without your permission.