What to Do After a Data Breach

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If your personal information has been exposed in a data breach, the company that was breached may inform you. It is essential to act quickly to secure your accounts and take preventive measures against fraud. Here are six steps to follow if your information has been compromised in a data breach.

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If your personal information was exposed in a data breach, the breached company may notify you. It's important to act quickly to secure your accounts and take preventive measures against fraud. Here are six steps to take if your information is exposed in a data breach.

  1. Determine What Data Was Compromised: The steps to take after a data breach depend on the type of information exposed. Data breach notification letters typically indicate what sensitive information may have been accessed.
     
  2. Secure Your Accounts: Begin by updating the passwords and PINs for any accounts mentioned in the breach notification, particularly your bank and credit card accounts. Accounts that have been directly affected in a breach are at the highest risk. However, if any of your personal information has been accessed, the risk of compromise for your other accounts increases as well. Avoid reusing passwords across different accounts. Consider using a password manager to create unique, secure passwords and to help you remember them. Additionally, enroll in two-factor authentication for your personal accounts. At K-State, Duo two-factor authentication is mandatory.
     
  3. Monitor Your Financial Accounts and Credit Reports: Regularly check your bank and financial accounts, and set up alerts to notify you of any activity. Being aware of unusual or unexpected transactions on your accounts can help you detect potential scams early, allowing you to report or investigate them promptly. Additionally, checking your credit report can help you identify any unusual activity related to credit fraud or identity theft.

    The three nationwide credit bureaus—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—offer a centralized website, toll-free telephone number, and mailing address where you can order your free annual credit reports in one place. Do not contact the three credit bureaus separately. To obtain your free annual credit reports, use these methods:
    1. Visit AnnualCreditReport.com
    2. Call 1-877-322-8228
    3. Complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form
       
  4. Initiate a Fraud Alert: Contact any one of the three credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. You don’t have to contact all three. The credit bureau you contact must tell the other two to place an initial fraud alert on your credit report. Make sure to instruct them to take extra steps to verify your identity before proceeding with the application.
    1. Equifax Fraud Alert
    2. Experian Fraud Alert
    3. TransUnion Fraud Alert
       
  5. Freeze or Lock Your Credit File: While it may be more inconvenient than a fraud alert, you should consider applying for a free security freeze. This limits access to your credit report at a specific credit bureau. Freezing your credit with all three bureaus protects your credit file from scammers and criminals who might attempt to apply for credit in your name. However, keep in mind that this will also prevent legitimate creditors from accessing your credit for new applications.
    1. Visit the Equifax website and navigate to the Security Freeze section.
    2. Visit the Experian website and navigate to the Credit Lock section.
    3. Visit the TransUnion website and navigate to the Credit Lock section.
       
  6. Look Out for Signs of Scams: Criminals can exploit personal data exposed in data breaches to carry out targeted phishing attacks, convincing you that their messages are from legitimate sources, such as your bank or a government agency. Their aim is often to deceive you into providing more sensitive information or to gain access to your financial accounts.
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