On Tuesday, the City of St. Paul said they were the victim of a cyberattack, and various agencies are helping respond. The scope of the attack and what data and whose personal information were potentially compromised is unclear.
RELATED: Minnesota National Guard activated, state of emergency declared after cyberattack against St. Paul
If you are the victim of a cybersecurity breach and some of your personal data has been compromised, there are some steps you can take to keep an eye on your account so that a bad actor doesn’t do more harm.
The Minnesota Attorney General’s Office lists six major things that people should do.
Place a Fraud Alert on Your Credit Report
There are three major credit bureaus, but you only need to contact one of them, as they are required to contact the other two and put the fraud alert on your credit file. The alert will last one year, and during that time, creditors must contact you before any new accounts are opened or before a credit limit increase on an existing account.
Call one of these three bureaus to place a fraud alert on your credit report:
- Experian: (888) 397-3742
- Equifax: (800) 525-6285
- TransUnion: Call (800) 680-7289
Put a Security Freeze on Your Credit Report
Placing a security freeze on your credit report is a free tool to help ensure no one gets information from your credit report without your written authorization.
However, it’s important to note that a freeze might not be for everyone as it could delay or cause other issues for new loans, mortgages, employment, housing or other lines of credit.
If you should need any of those services, you can unfreeze or “thaw” your accounts.
To place a freeze, you’ll need to contact each of the three major credit bureaus either by mail — sending a written request — or simply filing a freeze online.
- Experian Security Freeze
- Equifax Security Freeze
- TransUnion Security Freeze
Get a Free Copy of Your Credit Report to Watch for Unauthorized Activity
The attorney general’s office says that many people first realize they are victims of identity theft by looking at a copy of their credit report.
You can learn about more tips for protecting yourself from identity theft from the attorney general’s office online.
Consumers can get a free copy of their credit report each year from the three main credit bureaus, per the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act.
People should look for inaccuracies and errors on their report, such as credit lines you didn’t open.
The three credit bureaus have a centralized website, phone number and mailing address for people to request their credit report. Be cautious to only use this website, as searching online for a free credit report can yield sites that are not actually free and have hidden costs associated with them.
To obtain your credit report:
- ONLINE: www.AnnualCreditReport.com
- CALL: (877) 322-8228
- WRITE: Annual Credit Report Request Service at P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281
People should be aware that they will need to provide their full name, current address, social security number, date of birth and past addresses (if a consumer has moved in the past two years) to obtain their credit report.
Watch your Financial Accounts for Suspicous Activity
Keep a close eye on all your financial accounts, such as bank accounts and credit card statements, for any unknown or suspicious charges. Immediately report a charge or debit you did not make to your financial institution.
Beware of Phishing, Vishing and Smishing
There are a variety of types of phishing, vishing and shishing scams, which are meant to trick people into giving personal information, sometimes claiming to charge to secure an account. The fraudsters can contact people by email, phone call, text messages or utilizing fake websites.
Phishing can involve someone pretending to be the organization that was subject to the data breach or even posing as law enforcement or another government agency.
Never quickly dole out any personal information without knowing the authenticity of the request. If you aren’t sure, contact the company or agency through trusted means, such as finding their phone number on their main website to see if they contacted you.
The attorney general’s office has more information and tips about phishing, vishing and smishing HERE.
Contact the Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission keeps a database of identity theft and monitors for it across the U.S. They also work with law enforcement officials.
You can report scams, fraud, bad business practices, or identity theft to the FTC online. You can also call the FTC at 877-382-4357.
You can learn more about scams and identity theft from the FTC HERE.
Other Resources
The FTC has cybersecurity basics to help reduce cyber risks with online data, files, and more. Some of the security protections include encrypting devices and items that contain sensitive personal data, requiring strong passwords, securing wireless network router settings and utilizing encryption for wi-fi.
For businesses that experience a data breach, the FTC has a guide to assist with responding to the cyber attack.
The federal Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency also offers some free cybersecurity services and tools for U.S. critical infrastructure partners and state, local, tribal, and territorial governments.
RELATED: 5 ON YOUR SIDE: What to do after a data breach
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