Equifax, one of the nation’s 3 credit reporting agencies, recently reported a data breach that could potentially impact 143 million Americans. If you have a credit report, your personal information could be at risk. If you have been the victim of a data breach, you may be wondering what to do now?

It may seem frightening, but there is no need to panic.

Here are some steps you can take to protect yourself from identity theft or fraud following a data breach:

1. Check with Equifax to see if your information has potentially been exposed
2. Visit the website created by Equifax to understand what happened with the security breach and what steps they are taking to address it
3. Consider enrolling in the free credit monitoring offered by Equifax – this credit monitoring service is being offered for one year
4. Keep a close watch on your credit accounts and statements for any signs of fraudulent activity
5. Monitor your credit reports closely. You can access your reports for free once every year through annualcreditreport.com 
6. Visit Identity Theft.gov website for further information about what to do if you have been a victim of identity theft or a data breach
7. Stay up to date on scams, alerts, and information about how to protect yourself from the https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/Federal Trade Commission’s website
8. Take advantage of CESI’s free resources that help you understand how to deal with identity theft, credit reports, and scores and how to dispute a charge on your credit card

Consumer Education Services, Inc. (CESI) is a non-profit committed to empowering and inspiring consumers nationwide to make wise financial decisions and live debt free. If you have concerns or questions about your financial situation, contact us today – we’re here to help!