By now, you have probably heard that on September 7th, 2017, Equifax announced a cybersecurity incident involving consumer information. We want to reach out to our Members to help you understand the situation and ensure you have the information you need regarding this incident.

For details on the event, please see this PDF document.

If you find yourself a victim of fraud, or identity theft, there are many options available to you. HCFCU has dedicated web pages filled with resources and useful information.

The Federal Trade Commission (Ftc.gov) makes it easy to fill out a fraud report, and submit it directly to them. They can also assist you in drafting fraud dispute letters.

Here are few ways to help protect yourself from a data breach, or protect your identity:

• Check your credit reports regularly from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion – for free – by visiting annaulcreditreport.com. If you see activity or accounts that you do not recognize, it could indicate identity theft.
• You can enroll in text alerts for your accounts, place fraud alerts on your credit profiles, or place a freeze on your credit files. A credit freeze makes it harder for someone to open a new account in your name. A fraud alert warns creditors that you may be a victim of identity theft and they should verify anyone seeking credit in your name. Keep in mind that it won’t prevent a thief from making charges to your existing accounts.
• Monitor your existing credit and bank accounts closely for charges you don’t recognize. This is why it is important to have online access to check transactions or balances, enroll in eAlerts, or text notifications on all your financial accounts. These types of convenient services can help provide you 24-7 access to your account.

Fraud Notifications
ID Theft Help
Fraud Prevention Center
Initiate a Dispute

National Cyber Awareness System:

Potential Phishing Scams Related to Equifax Data Breach

Original release date: September 14, 2017

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has released an alert on scams related to the Equifax data breach. FTC warns consumers to be wary of calls or emails purporting to be from Equifax agents. Legitimate Equifax representatives will not contact consumers to ask for verification of their information.

US-CERT encourages consumers to report fraudulent calls and emails to the FTC Complaint Assistant and to refer to the FTC Alert and US-CERT Tips on Avoiding Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks and Preventing and Responding to Identity Theft for more information.