Following the Equifax Data Breach, many Minnesota consumers initiated credit report freezes. Obviously, with potentially 143 million Social Security numbers (SSNs) exposed, consumers are highly concerned about identity theft. With the SSNs, names, addresses, and birthdates stolen in the Equifax data breach, scammers can open fraudulent accounts and ruin credit scores. However, other dangers threaten Minnesota consumers in the wake of this massive hack. It is likely that fraudsters will take advantage of every possible opportunity to make money at the expense of consumers. Therefore, Arizona residents must exercise extra caution to avoid certain scams.
Scams that Con Artists Will Most Likely Pull in Arizona after the Equifax Data Breach
You should monitor your credit reports and regularly check your bank account and credit card statements. Also, you should look out for con artists. With the knowledge that scammers are lurking, Arizona consumers should think twice before giving out their personal information. They should also understand that their credit isn’t the only thing in jeopardy following the Equifax data breach.
Imposter Scams
Not every hacker or identity thief in the world will have access to data stolen in the Equifax hack. However, many of them will try to capitalize on the event. Experts believe that Minnesota consumers will get calls from con artists passing themselves off as Equifax representatives. These scammers might say that they are calling to verify a consumer’s information in order to set up free credit monitoring or a security freeze. Don’t fall for it. Equifax is not calling random Minnesota consumers, and the credit bureau typically communicates with consumers who request products or services online.
Tax Identity Theft
Unfortunately, many fraudsters will use data exposed in the Equifax data breach to steal tax refunds from consumers. A full set of data (name, address, birthdate, Social Security number) is needed to commit tax identity theft. So, it is more likely to happen in the wake of a massive data breach. Sadly, victims of this type of theft often don’t realized that it has happened until they file their tax returns. Then, they are informed that a tax return was already filed in their name. If this happens to any Minnesota consumer, they should act quickly in notifying both the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the police.
Spear-Phishing
Fraudsters use phishing scams to get consumer information through phone calls or emails. In spear-phishing scams, on the other hand, identity thieves already have data via a data breach. They use this data to disguise themselves as brokers or representatives from banking institutions. This way, they can attempt to drain funds right from Minnesota banking or savings accounts. These scammers may also entice you to click a link that downloads malware onto your computer and allows them to hijack your system. Because fraudsters used actual consumer data to spear-phish, it is often difficult not to fall for their fake emails. So, it always best to call your bank or broker before giving your information out in an email or even clicking on a link.
Finally, there are a lot of things for Minnesota consumers to watch out for in the wake of the Equifax data breach. Yet, it is still important to keep tabs on your credit reports. Also, if you notice anything suspicious on any of your credit reports, give Credit Repair Lawyers of America in Minnesota a call. When you do, one of our experienced identity theft lawyers will get your credit reports cleaned up quickly and for free.
The Free and Legal way to Get Better Credit
Don’t let fraudulent accounts or errors on your credit reports bring your credit score down. At Credit Repair Lawyers of America, we’ve been cleaning up credit reports for consumers since 2008 for free. How do we do it? The law allows us to collect our fees and costs from the defendants in any successful action. This is why our clients pay nothing for the work we do.
Let’s start the conversation about what we can do for your credit. Set up your free consultation today by calling Attorney Gary Nitzkin at (612) 235-4458 or sending him a message through our contact page.
For more information about Free Credit Repair, please visit https://creditrepairlawyersam.com/minnesota/credit-repair/. Or, to learn more about Free Credit Repair After Identity Theft, check out https://creditrepairlawyersam.com/minnesota/id-theft/.
