Data Breach

Understanding Where You Stand With The Equifax Data Breach Lawsuit

The Equifax data breach lawsuits have been going on for a couple of years. They are a result of hackers being able to access literally millions of Americans personally identifying information. The amount of information that was exposed varies greatly from just their name and a few digits of their social security number to all of the information that would be needed to commit various forms of fraud in their name. If you had any credit history prior to May of 2017 there is a chance that your data has been put at risk.

The biggest problem with a breach of this nature is that your information could be in the hands of a criminal but you do not yet have any way to prove it. While Equifax did identify some particular information that had been made available, they are not fully clear on all of the details. This means that while a great deal of those in their records have nothing to worry about, there are also many that all of their most important information floating around in who knows whose hands. For anyone that was put at risk this is of course very concerning.

The first step that you should do is check your credit report. The first sign that you have been a victim of this breach is if you find that there is information on your credit report that does not match activities that you have actually participated in. It is important that you fully examine your report to be sure that there isn’t anything that you are missing. In some cases those that steal personal information will actually make payments on the account so that they can continue to use the information. Even credit accounts in good standing could be a result of fraud.

Another area that can be a major concern is your tax record. There is a huge business in the United States that revolves around selling people’s social security number and other personal information to those that need it in order to obtain employment. This can cause havoc for you when it comes to the IRS. In some cases they will even attempt to file a tax return in order to receive a large refund, essentially committing tax fraud in your name. If you receive any letters from the IRS that do no match your personal record there is a good chance you have become a victim. The Equifax data breach lawsuits are largely focused on this type of fraud that has affected thousands of Americans. If you fear that you may be a victim but have not received anything to prove it you can request the IRS for documentation regarding your recent tax transactions.

If you examine your credit report and do not find anything is amiss that does not mean that you have not become a victim. There is a chance that someone has your information but has not yet put it to use. It could also be that the activities that they are participating in just have not yet reached your credit report or raised a flag with the IRS. The key is to stay vigilant when it comes to your records so that you can identify an issue as soon as possible. As with most class action lawsuits, there will be a limited amount of time to submit a claim against the company and receive a settlement.

The most important thing to remember is that the Equifax data breach lawsuit is due to neglegence on the part of the company. There was a bug that they were aware of in their system for an extended period of time but no action was taken. This is what led to hackers being able to access information that should have been given the highest priority when it comes to security. The fact that they did not take action, yet knew of the problem, is a clear indicator that they were negligent and should be responsible for the financial problems their customers face. If you have become a victim or suspect that you have it is best to seek the assistance of one of the law firms representing consumers in this case as soon as possible. Time is of the essence.

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