Experian Hack Affects Millions of T-Mobile Credit Applicants

[furi0usbee]

LOL... all of it in clear text I'm sure....

 

[Muscle Master]

Please wipe the database clean!!!!! Go hackers lol

 

[B4U]

You would figure the company that has anything to do with everyone's credit report is not gonna be like Target and Anthem...

 

[Tekjams]

Just another reason I'm glad I left t-mobile last week.

 

[bookwormsy]

Just another reason I'm glad I left t-mobile last week.

This was 100% on Experian.

 

[Cndnmax]

According to Experian, steps have been taken to prevent additional attacks, and there has been no evidence thus far that the data "has been used inappropriately."

In other words the data has been used appropriately by hackers! Are you kidding me!

-Mike

No quite what they mean but Expecting SNs to be used immediately is wrong. It can take months/years for that information to be sold. Hackers don't use the info they sell it.

 

[Cndnmax]

UGH!!! I switched to T-Mobile days before the affected period with my whole family. DAMMIT!!! This is total BS!!! Sorry, I am just super angry right now. Just when I was happy about saving over $100 a month by leaving Verizon.

Only one SN should have been provided to T-Mobile. Every other piece of information taken is available publicly so no big deal there.

 

[Glassed Silver]

if people in shithhole countries keep hacking into western databases like this, they should not be allowed to have internet.

By your logic all Western countries, but especially the US would have been cut from the internet since at least 2013. *hint hint*

That's all I'm allowed to comment according to forum rules.

Glassed Silver:mac

 

[yg17]

The fact that Experian, the company who had their data stolen, are the ones giving us free credit monitoring is laughable. I signed up, because it's better than nothing, but can I trust them? I was surprised, I was expecting them to ask me for a credit card number to continue my credit monitoring subscription after my 2 years is up, that would've been icing on the cake.

I hope someone, whether it's T-Mobile or Experian, steps up soon and offers those of us affected credit monitoring from one of the other bureaus because I really don't trust Experian.

 

[unclebacons]

The #uncarrier is the #unprotector of customer data. Legere unsurprisingly not talking trash on Twitter right now.

 

[mariusignorello]

I don't blame T-Mobile for this this. I do blame Experian for this. These guys are responsible for managing the personal information of 10s of millions of people (if not more). It better not be the case that their security is lame (i.e. the hackers better be hot s**t) because if it is lame, then there needs to be some serious legal action taken against them. Even criminal action taken against their executives.

Save your breath. The executives will receive a "good talking to" and then pat themselves on the back for cleaning up their PR mess.

 

[McGiord]

So what happens afterwards? How you request a change to your SSN? There should be a protection program out there.

I still find it very worrisome that 3 companies own almost all the people in the US.

 

[kazmac]

Oh crap.

 

[chinesedemo]

By your logic all Western countries, but especially the US would have been cut from the internet since at least 2013. *hint hint*

That's all I'm allowed to comment according to forum rules.

Glassed Silver:mac

Let him say what he wants. I'm more troubled by people like you than I am with people like him.

 

[anarche]

IMO, a single 'secret' number (the SSN) is a poor way of managing identity information online. Make SSNs public and develop two-factor authentication/biometrics, ref the Indian Aadhaar card, the largest rollout, in years, of a new unique identifier, where the actual number can be as public as you want.

 

[raybo]

What about those of us who did the one week trial last year?

 

[Rigby]

So what happens afterwards? How you request a change to your SSN?

Very complicated process, not recommended. A much easier way to protect yourself from many forms of SSN-related ID theft is to put a security freeze on your credit reports. The only downside is that you need to temporarily "unfreeze" them whenever you apply for credit, but it's pretty convenient these days (online with a PIN code).

 

[SC54HI]

A security freeze is the way to go if you want to protect yourself against ID theft. See Brian Krebs' explanation here: https://krebsonsecurity.com/2015/06/how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-and-embrace-the-security-freeze/

The fact that the credit "monitoring" is being offered by Experian -- who requires your SSN to sign up for it -- would be laughable if it weren't so disgusting.

 

[Cndnmax]

A security freeze is the way to go if you want to protect yourself against ID theft. See Brian Krebs' explanation here: https://krebsonsecurity.com/2015/06/how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-and-embrace-the-security-freeze/

The fact that the credit "monitoring" is being offered by Experian -- who requires your SSN to sign up for it -- would be laughable if it weren't so disgusting.

Any credit monitoring program will need your SSN, how else are they supposed to monitor it.

 

[dampfnudel]

IMO, a single 'secret' number (the SSN) is a poor way of managing identity information online. Make SSNs public and develop two-factor authentication/biometrics, ref the Indian Aadhaar card, the largest rollout, in years, of a new unique identifier, where the actual number can be as public as you want.

That would be great. Using a person's SSN was fine for managing identity information in the last century, but now not only is it archaic, it's downright dangerous. We need a new system to replace it and the sooner, the better.

 

[maflynn]

Whew - dodged a bullet on this. I noticed the story and all I could do was be thankful that I had not contracted with T-Mo yet for my cellular needs. Seems like its an Experian issue but why is it only limited to T-Mo?

 

[Waxhead138]

You're a special kind of ignorant aren't you?

Beautifully stated. That line will be stolen and used by myself later...thanks!

 

[Waxhead138]

UGH!!! I switched to T-Mobile days before the affected period with my whole family. DAMMIT!!! This is total BS!!! Sorry, I am just super angry right now. Just when I was happy about saving over $100 a month by leaving Verizon.

Well, not that this makes it better....but it could have happened to any of the major providers.....especially since the breach was via Experian and not T-Mobile directly. AKA I think this can easily happen again and effect ATT / Verizon.

In fact now that I think about it, that worries me that Experian took that hit. Of all the types of company that should be acutely aware of just how sensitive the data they contain is....a credit reporting agency. What worries me more is that the big three credit bureaus tend to operate with a quiet arrogance not so quiet apathy.

Hopefully this gets their attention.

 

[McGiord]

Very complicated process, not recommended. A much easier way to protect yourself from many forms of SSN-related ID theft is to put a security freeze on your credit reports. The only downside is that you need to temporarily "unfreeze" them whenever you apply for credit, but it's pretty convenient these days (online with a PIN code).

As I understand it they charge you something like $10 per every move you made, those people found the most absurd way to keep a whole country captive to their decisions.
Is there a way to make that free?
Like we have nothing to worry about in our day to day lives, just another thing to make our lives more complicated.

 

[ssl0408]

As I understand it they charge you something like $10 per every move you made, those people found the most absurd way to keep a whole country captive to their decisions.
Is there a way to make that free?
Like we have nothing to worry about in our day to day lives, just another thing to make our lives more complicated.

The $10 fees can be waived if you provide a police report showing that you were a victim of identity theft.