GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Identity theft comes in many forms, and often times, criminals use technology against you.
Robert Harris of Green Bay has learned that first-hand, “My credit card number was stolen from a pump at a gas station.”
Harris is also among the millions of people whose information may have been compromised in the Equifax breach.
So what can you do to protect yourself and your information?
Joe Wetzel is a Security Instructor at Fox Valley Technical College. He spoke to FOX 11.
“For example, if a hacker can get control of your email account, they have the ability to reset passwords.”
To see if your information was a part of the Equifax security breach click here.
Wetzel says you should be changing your passwords frequently, “The biggest thing is just the fact that, if you’re using the same password for multiple accounts, you have to change that.”
When it comes to things like your social security number, Wetzel says it’s a bit more complicated.
“Once your social security number is out in the wild, then anybody can get your social security and start taking credit cards out in your name.”
Weztel says the most effective way to ensure no one is using your social security number is to freeze your accounts.
“The other thing to stop someone from taking advantage of that, you need to put down a security freeze.”
Tips aside, Harris says it’s still frustrating, “If somebody wants your information, it seems like no matter what you do to protect it, they’re just smarter than the consumer.”
