Looks like everyone's Social was stolen, just lovely

[Disneefun]

But why should we all be ok with this?

It's not a matter of being okay with it, it's a matter of knowing that nothing will change. Every political leader in this country, on all sides, has pretty much sold their souls, and our interests, to the highest bidders. Until there is the political will to make deep, systematic changes in how things are done, nothing will happen. It's why when there's yet another shooting, all we can do is offer thoughts and prayers. No sane person wants to be okay with any of it, but it's the way it is.

 

[focusondisney]

I have yet to see this reported on any news sites I consider reputable.

Our data has been hacked multiple times through various businesses and I get credit alerts whenever I open a new account

I had an alert from my Chase credit card monitoring that my SS number may have been compromised by this data breech on July 29th. I think the story is accurate. No idea why major news sources haven’t picked it up.

 

[lovesmurfs]

My, DH, and DD's credit's been frozen since 2020, when I had my identity stolen for Illinois unemployment funds -- It was so bizarre how much information they had, including the exact date my employer closed its doors in March (we just worked from home, no unemployment).

It's pretty easy to thaw (we just bought a house and needed mortgage approval).

 

[focusondisney]

Not for nothing but if AI is such a big deal now how about we all get new socials?

OMG I can not imagine the disaster that would be. We’re retired, already collecting SS, my pension & have other retirement accounts. I can see an economic disaster if the government tried to change our SS numbers at this point. No thanks.

 

[focusondisney]

It's pretty easy to thaw (we just bought a house and needed mortgage approval).

What’s the general process if you need to do that? I’m considering doing the freeze, but have no idea how unfreezing works. The only thing I’d unfreeze for is a credit card when a good offer comes along.

 

[hertamaniac]

What’s the general process if you need to do that? I’m considering doing the freeze, but have no idea how unfreezing works. The only thing I’d unfreeze for is a credit card when a good offer comes along.

Freezing/unfreezing is pretty self-explanatory on each of the reporters' websites.

 

[hertamaniac]

My, DH, and DD's credit's been frozen since 2020, when I had my identity stolen for Illinois unemployment funds -- It was so bizarre how much information they had, including the exact date my employer closed its doors in March (we just worked from home, no unemployment).

It's pretty easy to thaw (we just bought a house and needed mortgage approval).

It was weird that I had to have my credit pulled when purchasing my new car. I paid in cash, but the dealership insisted on the hard pull. It was a non-issue other than my score(s) dropped about ~5 points.

My credit is now frozen.

 

[easyas123]

No idea why major news sources haven’t picked it up.

I saw/heard this information on two different news sites this morning, Drudge (link took you to a Yahoo news story from the L.A. Times) and I also heard a blip about it on the top of the hour national news my local radio station plays. I think it's NBC.

 

[kdonnel]

What’s the general process if you need to do that? I’m considering doing the freeze, but have no idea how unfreezing works. The only thing I’d unfreeze for is a credit card when a good offer comes along.

You have a login to each of the three credit bureau.

Once logged in you have to find the option to freeze.

When you want to unfreeze you login and can either permanently unfreeze or temporarily lift the freeze and provide a date where it will refreeze.

Be aware that some or all of the credit bureau also have the concept of locking your credit. Freezing is free. Locking is generally a paid feature that requires a subscription. Don't confuse the two.

 

[lovesmurfs]

What’s the general process if you need to do that? I’m considering doing the freeze, but have no idea how unfreezing works. The only thing I’d unfreeze for is a credit card when a good offer comes along.

When you log in to the credit bureaus, there's usually a link for "request a thaw". You click it, and then select how long you want to "thaw" your credit (for our mortgage application I thawed it for two weeks).

You also receive a free credit report from each of the three bureaus every year. I have an Outlook task reminding me every four months to request it from one of the three (Transunion, Equifax, Experian). That way I keep up with anything new that MIGHT have emerged.

 

[tvguy]

it is used for far more than that-it is the single unique idenfier for a myriad of an individual records.

Not sure how that started happening as the cards said right on them "Not for Identification " until recently.

 

[ambgoph]

When you log in to the credit bureaus, there's usually a link for "request a thaw". You click it, and then select how long you want to "thaw" your credit (for our mortgage application I thawed it for two weeks).

You also receive a free credit report from each of the three bureaus every year. I have an Outlook task reminding me every four months to request it from one of the three (Transunion, Equifax, Experian). That way I keep up with anything new that MIGHT have emerged.

You can now receive a free credit report weekly. FTC website

 

[Lumpy1106]

If you do not have your credit frozen, you are playing with fire, even before this event.

Yup - DW locked all of ours down when we found ourselves replacing compromised CCs on a regular basis - sound familiar? It can be a pain when you apply for a new CC or make a major purchase, but OTOH, we know our credit is safe.

 

[Shadeaux]

It was weird that I had to have my credit pulled when purchasing my new car. I paid in cash, but the dealership insisted on the hard pull. It was a non-issue other than my score(s) dropped about ~5 points.

My credit is now frozen.

That's really strange. If that had happened when we were purchasing our car with cash, they'd have lost the sale. There's absolutely no reason for a credit check when paying cash.

 

[pens4821]

Ive been thinking of freezing my credit for a couple years. Just never have done it. I just feel like I’m going to forget the once every 10 years I need it unfrozen haha. But this was enough of a push to make me do it.

It was very easy. Only one is equifax which is sending something for me to complete it. To set up all three (Experian and TransUnion are finished) took maybe 10-15 minutes. Looks like it’s simple to just go in there and unfreeze it when need be.

 

[focusondisney]

Ive been thinking of freezing my credit for a couple years. Just never have done it. I just feel like I’m going to forget the once every 10 years I need it unfrozen haha. But this was enough of a push to make me do it.

It was very easy. Only one is equifax which is sending something for me to complete it. To set up all three (Experian and TransUnion are finished) took maybe 10-15 minutes. Looks like it’s simple to just go in there and unfreeze it when need be.

Thanks, good to hear your experience.

 

[focusondisney]

It was weird that I had to have my credit pulled when purchasing my new car. I paid in cash, but the dealership insisted on the hard pull. It was a non-issue other than my score(s) dropped about ~5 points.

My credit is now frozen.

That is weird. We just bought a new car in February, had a trade in & the rest cash. No credit check required. However, this is a dealership we have been going to for a long time & have purchased & financed several cars from. Don’t know if that made a difference. He new car is in both of our names. Our credit monitoring shows no inquiries for either of us.

 

[focusondisney]

Freezing/unfreezing is pretty self-explanatory on each of the reporters' websites.

You have a login to each of the three credit bureau.

Once logged in you have to find the option to freeze.

When you want to unfreeze you login and can either permanently unfreeze or temporarily lift the freeze and provide a date where it will refreeze.

Be aware that some or all of the credit bureau also have the concept of locking your credit. Freezing is free. Locking is generally a paid feature that requires a subscription. Don't confuse the two.

When you log in to the credit bureaus, there's usually a link for "request a thaw". You click it, and then select how long you want to "thaw" your credit (for our mortgage application I thawed it for two weeks).

You also receive a free credit report from each of the three bureaus every year. I have an Outlook task reminding me every four months to request it from one of the three (Transunion, Equifax, Experian). That way I keep up with anything new that MIGHT have emerged.

Thank you all for the info. We’ll have to get serious & get it done.

 

[barkley]

Not sure how that started happening as the cards said right on them "Not for Identification " until recently.View attachment 886297

not sure either but as you experienced (like me) we had them as our college identification numbers back in the day and so far as i know colleges still use them internally (b/c you have to provide them if applying for student aide or student loans). 'social security' as defined by the feds encompasses a myriad of federal. state and local programs so they have the legal right to collect and use the numbers-public assistance, snap, food and nutrition services (free or reduced school lunch, meals on wheels and dozens of other programs fall under this umbrella-all who have that same right to an ssn), housing assistance, energy assistance, earned income tax credit...use of it for driver's licenses is permitted by federal law (though a handful of states do not require it),

the privacy laws are very complex and some entities still have a legal right to collect the numbers b/c of VERY minor affliations with larger entities. it might be that they receive a tiny amount of money from another entity that long ago was (and in the fine print-still is) designated as 'public assistance', well that pops them under the umbrella of being allowed to collect the number. i worked for social services which decades earlier in that region had separated so that it was separate from 'health services' BUT both did'nt entirely sever themselves from each other b/c both had certain abilitites and access to records/data due to their definition by the feds/state and did'nt want to lose those.

 

[tvguy]

not sure either but as you experienced (like me) we had them as our college identification numbers back in the day and so far as i know colleges still use them internally (b/c you have to provide them if applying for student aide or student loans). 'social security' as defined by the feds encompasses a myriad of federal. state and local programs so they have the legal right to collect and use the numbers-public assistance, snap, food and nutrition services (free or reduced school lunch, meals on wheels and dozens of other programs fall under this umbrella-all who have that same right to an ssn), housing assistance, energy assistance, earned income tax credit...use of it for driver's licenses is permitted by federal law (though a handful of states do not require it),

the privacy laws are very complex and some entities still have a legal right to collect the numbers b/c of VERY minor affliations with larger entities. it might be that they receive a tiny amount of money from another entity that long ago was (and in the fine print-still is) designated as 'public assistance', well that pops them under the umbrella of being allowed to collect the number. i worked for social services which decades earlier in that region had separated so that it was separate from 'health services' BUT both did'nt entirely sever themselves from each other b/c both had certain abilitites and access to records/data due to their definition by the feds/state and did'nt want to lose those.

I turned 16 in 1973 and my first Drivers License had my SS number on it.