143 million

That’s the number of people estimated to be affected by the recent Equifax data breach.  With so much information, do you wonder which way to turn?  The daily stories are alarming, lengthy and can be confusing. Sadly, government and businesses are moving as fast as possible to protect data, but criminals are often moving just as fast.  To be safer, its best to be vigilant in protecting your data.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website www.ftc.gov is a very good resource for unbiased information.   Considering a fraud alert or credit freeze is a question on most everyone’s mind.  Which is best for you personally?   The FTC post here :  https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2017/09/fraud-alert-or-credit-freeze-which-right-you  explains the differences and the steps needed to do both.  As with all security measures, there are offsets between convenience and security (if it’s convenient, it’s usually not as secure!).