Louisville financial advisor gives advice after massive Social Security data breach

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — A data breach has put billions at risk of identity theft. A class action lawsuit said hackers stole sensitive information, including billions of names, addresses and social security numbers. But there’s a way you can protect yourself by putting a security freeze on your credit report. Court documents said criminals stole the information from the national public data. It’s a background check company that sells access to personal information. “It is become increasing more common lately,” said Louisville financial advisor Jillian Fohr. Nearly 3 billion personal information records may have been compromised. “Bad things can happen,” Fohr said. “And there are attorney’s out there that can help you when situations do go poorly. It’s not something fun to think about, but you really can’t live your life in fear. You’ve got to protect yourself to the best of your ability and just handle things as they come to you.” Fohr said one way to protect your private information is to place a security freeze on your credit report. “Take advantage of any of the opportunities for the free credit protection,” Fohr said. “Most companies will give you a free year or two of their services.” USAGov said a credit freeze restricts access to your credit report. If you suspect your personal information or identity was stolen, placing a credit freeze can help protect you from fraud. “I think at this point in our lives, it’s probably best to invest in security for social security numbers,” Louisville resident Zach Stewart said. Stewart doesn’t think this will be the last “To be honest, I am kind of surprised that mine is actually still protected anyways,” Stewart said. “Everything asks you for your last four digits. It seems like sights have become less encrypted as time goes by, so it’s not really surprising.” Fohr recommends freezing your credit through each major agency: Equifax, Experian, or Transunion. “If it look suspicious, it likely is. Don’t click or respond on any links that come to you,” Fohr said. “Find your own resources. Contact the company directly and go from there.” She said to make sure all your accounts have different, complex passwords. “It’s a pain to keep up with, but it is a lot better than dealing with fraud and some of your sensitive information getting out,” Fohr said. To let lenders access your credit files again, you’ll need to lift your credit freeze. You can also take precautions by lacing a credit lock on your file.