It is all over the news that a huge data breach at DMV last week could affect 3.5 million Oregonians. The big fear around the stolen information is the possibility of identity theft and financial fraud. It was made known to the public by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) last week. The agency let people know that this breach is serious and those effected must take active steps to ensure they are not being scammed.
ODOT says that people with an active driver’s license or Oregon state ID should assume that their personal information could be compromised. People are being educated on the best steps to take. Some companies are starting of offer free credit monitoring to affected customers as a solution by ODOT which suggested that Oregonians start asking for credit reports.
The stolen data breach makes it easy for scammers to use the stolen personal information to impersonate and commit financial fraud by opening a loan or line of credit in your name. This could damage the person’s credit score or leave them stuck with a bill of fraudulent charges.
Credit alerts and freezes are on top of the list to do. Residents can request the three credit monitoring agencies to freeze their credit reports. This restricts access to only a limited number of entities and preventing any new credit accounts from being opened in your name.
ODOT went into high alert about the recent data breach. It is banking on state residents to stay on top of their personal information via the credit bureaus. It’s credit reports that can provide information about people or groups who have received a person’s credit history. Reports can be requested at annualcreditreport.com or by calling 1-877-322-8228, ODOT said.
People should report anything suspicious they find on their credit report by calling the number listed on the report or visiting the Federal Trade Commissions identity theft website at www.consumer.gov/idtheft. A freeze can be requested using the following numbers or websites:
– Equifax: equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services or 1-800-685-1111
– Experian: experian.com/help or 1-888-397-3742
– TransUnion: transunion.com/credit-help or 1-888-909-8872
