For those in South Carolina who have been impacted by the huge department of revenue security breach, you have options to protect yourself. In 2008 state law was changed to allow consumers to put a “freeze” on their credit report to prohibit anyone from accessing it or seeing the report. A temporary thaw can be put on during times when you need to have someone review it for accessing credit. You must call all three credit reporting agencies to have a freeze put on your accounts. This is a great way to protect yourself from anyone else getting your personal information.
Minimizing the Effects of a Security Breach
Columbia, SC…In addition to the free credit monitoring that the Department of Revenue has
established, the Department of Consumer Affairs wants to make sure consumers are aware of the
proactive steps they can take to minimize any negative effects of the breach.
1.) Place an initial fraud alert on your credit report. To place an initial fraud alert on your
credit report, you only have to call one of the Credit Reporting Agencies (CRA) and
they will notify the other two. This is a FREE service. Once you place the alert, you will
receive notice that you can get 1 free copy of your credit report from each of the CRAs.
(See item 3 below.)
2.) Place a security freeze on your report. You must call each of the CRAs to do this. It is
FREE to place, thaw and lift the freeze for SC Residents. Once you place the freeze, you
will receive a PIN number you can use to thaw or lift the freeze. Make sure to keep it in a
safe place. You can place the freeze online at the addresses below or by calling the
numbers listed in item 3:
3.) The phone numbers are the same to place a fraud alert and to place a security freeze on
your credit report:
Equifax: 800-685-1111
TransUnion: 800-680-7289
Experian: 888-397-3742
4.) Perform these steps for any SSN you think might be affected. The fraud alert and
security freeze are linked to your social security number, so each person in the household
must place it separately.
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5.) Remember to track your finances. Always review your banking statements as soon as
you receive them. Also review your credit report regularly. You are entitled to a free
credit report from each one of the three major credit reporting agencies annually. You can
obtain your report by visiting http://www.annualcreditreport.com or calling 877-322-8228.
Check your statements and credit report for unauthorized purchases/accounts and
incorrect information.
6.) For more information on protecting against ID Theft, including information on placing a
security freeze, visit our “Identity Theft Resources” webpage:
http://www.consumer.sc.gov/consumer/IdentityTheft/Pages/default.aspx
