Additionally, the hackers swiped Credit card numbers of 209,000 Americans and documents from disputes, including personal data, for 182,000 consumers.
To get an extended alert that lasts seven years, you will need a Police Report or affidavit showing you are in fact a victim of ID theft, with such consequences as having fraudulent credit opened in your name.
Last, call local law enforcement to file an identity theft report and request an extended fraud alert from the credit bureaus.
In some states, there is a small fee for the freeze, which is waived only for those who had unauthorized accounts opened in their name and have filed a police report.
You can do so by notifying Equifax in writing within 30 days of signing up, according to the National Consumer Law Center, a consumer-rights advocacy group.
- Equifax Two Top Technology Executives Leave Company 'Effective Immediately'U.S. News & World Report
- Equifax Executives Retire After Massive Data Breach Affecting 143 Million ...CBS Sacramento
- Equifax data breach: Credit rating firm replaces key staffBBC News
- Equifax hack puts data of 400000 UK customers at riskThe Guardian
- Equifax executives step down after major hackPhys.Org
- In wake of Equifax data leak, US senator launches industry probeThe Japan Times
- The blame game is on for Equifax data hackYahoo Finance
- Key Equifax officials axed after breachTaipei Times
- Laredo man says he's a victim of Equifax data breachHi-tech Beacon
