Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge warns Arkansans to be on alert as the Equifax data breach will likely lead to hacking and phishing attempts from con artists and criminals, both over the phone and online.
Rutledge has learned that at least 1.2 million Arkansans may be impacted, according to a news release.
“Criminals are going to call and email Arkansans looking to exploit the exposure of their personal information,” Rutledge said. “Just because someone calls claiming to be from Equifax or emails claiming to be a bank does not mean they are. Arkansans should stay vigilant as I work with other states to get to the bottom of how and why this data breach occurred.”
Arkansans should be on the lookout for phishing emails that claim to be Equifax and offering to check if the person’s data is compromised, emails that claim a problem has occurred with a credit card or bank, calls or emails from a scammer claiming to be the resident’s bank and any unexpected charges on a credit or debit card.
“If you have been a victim of identity theft, close accounts that have been tampered with or fraudulently opened and file a complaint with the FTC. The Attorney General’s office also offers an ID Theft Passport to help victims reestablish their good name,” according to the release.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
According to the release, Equifax said that 143 million U.S. consumers could potentially be impacted by a data breach that occurred in mid-May and lasted until July 29 when the company discovered it. Since Equifax announced the breach recently, the Attorney General’s office has received a number of calls from concerned Arkansans.
“The Attorney General’s office is here to do the fighting for you, and I urge Arkansans who have used Equifax to contact my office,” Rutledge said.
Identity theft should become a major concern if someone has used Equifax services. Identity theft is when an individual uses another person’s information to commit fraud or other crimes, most commonly to obtain access to credit. If successful, scammers can ruin someone’s credit and steal their money.
“Equifax says the information accessed in this breach includes names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses and, in some instances, driver’s license numbers. In addition, credit card numbers for approximately 209,000 U.S. consumers, and certain credit dispute documents with personal identifying information for approximately 182,000 U.S. consumers, were accessed,” according to the release.
Rutledge recently released tips to help Arkansans recognize when they might be a victim of identity theft:
• Receiving unexpected bills or collection calls. Getting an account statement for an account that you did not authorize is an indication that an individual may be the victim of identity theft. Likewise, getting collection calls from a creditor or debt collector regarding an account that you did not authorize is an indication that you may be a victim.
• Not receiving expected bills or account statements. If a monthly credit card statement stops, this could be an indication that someone has stolen mail or changed your account statement mailing address. Promptly report this to the account provider.
• Having a credit application denied when there is no reason to believe there is a problem with the credit history. Be sure to periodically review the credit report, and always review it again before making an application for credit on a big purchase.
Rutledge reminds Arkansans that the Attorney General’s office has routinely referred individuals to one of three national credit bureaus, including Equifax, when they have fallen victim to identity theft.
“It is important to note that a consumer does not need to have used Equifax for their data to be exposed to these hackers,” according to the release.
Arkansans can visit ArkansasAG.gov to get the latest information about the breach.