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Last Monday, right after I published last week’s post, I was informed that my social security number was compromised in leak. It was in a secure system where I kept secure tax documents. No fault of my own or company that operated the system, but somehow a bad actor got in to take advantage of it. Thankfully, nothing malignant has happened against me yet.

So, that got me thinking… What all can a criminal do with your identity? Turns out quite a lot. Let’s take a look at how you can keep your identity, money, and other sensitive information secure.

Proactive (staying frosty!) > Reactive

It goes without saying but ensuring nothing happens is better than damage control. Down below, I’m going to discuss some resources I’ve been using this week to deal with the situation. But first, let’s look to Frozone to set the scene.

Thank you, Frozone. Let’s get freezing, shall we? You can freeze your credit, bank accounts, employment data, utility information, among other things, all through these resources below:

• annualcreditreport.com - An official US Government website

  • Identity thieves can open up credit cards and loans with your information and leave you footing the bill. Yikes… Here, you can view your credit file from the three credit bureaus: TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian. You can check it yearly for free, and weekly through the end of this year. Freeze/Refreeze any time.

• Self Lock (e-verify.gov) - Another US Gov website

  • Freeze your employment identity so bad actors can’t use your SSN to gain employment then leave you with a tax liability among other problems. Unfreeze at any time.

• Exchange Service Center - Utilities Fraud

  • Someone has your SSN? They can now turn on the heat and lights thanks to you. This website lets you lock that down so only you can do that. I can already hear my old man yelling at me to close the door, the air’s on.

• Place a ChexSystems Security Freeze - Bank Fraud Protection

  • This is a bank activity reporting bureau that can help monitor your bank activity like overdrafts, etc. Placing a security freeze can help you prevent bad actors from opening accounts in your name.

• IRS Tax PIN

  • This one’s pretty extreme, but you can request a secure PIN from the IRS to file your taxes with, but every time you file taxes or correspond with the IRS you will need this number. If you lose that number, you’re SOL.

Ok, I won’t lie - I may have cheated in researching all this data. Since my information was leaked, I was offered a complimentary LifeLock subscription to monitor any activity on my account. These services are all linked in the portal there to take advantage of.

There are many services you can subscribe to that offer this sort of protection, and many employers even offer identity theft insurance in case this happens, up to a specific amount.

In the meantime, it’s always good to stay on top your credit reports, and ensure all data is accurate and represented. I hope your information doesn’t end up compromised like mine.

Chart of the Week

Want to try tracking your Cash Flow? I’ve developed a spreadsheet-based tool that works great manually, by dropping in your CSVs, or utilizing a service like Tiller. (I’m using tiller with my spreadsheet right now and it’s glorious.)

Stay frosty,

Andrew

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