The Scam
Most of us have heard information about the recent announcement of a massive data breach at the major credit reporting agency Equifax. Now, your phone might be ringing and when you answer, the caller claims to be an Equifax employee that needs to verify your information.
The Truth
Equifax is NOT calling you or anyone about the data breach. The caller is trying to scam you out of your personal information in order to gain access to your personal accounts such as email, bank, or even social media platforms.
If you receive a suspicious phone call or email:
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- Screen your phone calls. Be careful, as scammers use tricks to make it look like they are calling from a local phone number.
- Hang up the phone. If the conversation does not feel right, don’t be afraid to simply hang up the phone and block the number. Do not press a number to reach an operator or follow any other prompts.
- Don’t share your personal information. Under no circumstances should you share your personal or financial information over the phone, unless you have directly called a phone number you recognize (e.g. your bank).
If you have received a phone call or feel you have been scammed, call us at 800.593.8222 or file a complaint online. If you think you have shared your personal information with a scammer, immediately change your passwords, account numbers, or security questions with your bank or credit union.
