Your SSN is Leaked (likely), Freeze!
Freeze your credit
Three major credit bureaus govern the credit of Americans. I advise everyone to freeze them if you are not actively using them for mortgages and credit cards.
Why? Data breaches
Breaches happen, and SSN is not immune: National Public Data, a background check company, leaked 2.9 billion records in 2024; and Experian 2017 leaked 147M Americans' private records.
The unfair thing is that normal people have no control over their own data. And there is no way for you to guarantee you are NOT in these data breaches. With an SSN and some information on public sites, criminals can open a credit under your name, and you are on the hook to sort it all out.
How?
The three major ones: go to these websites and create an account; they usually need to verify you first.
- TransUnion: https://www.transunion.com/credit-freeze
- Equifax: https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-freeze/
- Experian: https://www.experian.com/freeze/center.html
They should all be free; do not pay for extra services unless you want to.
Bonus points: these small players also report credits on you, so do the same if you can.
- Innovis: https://www.innovis.com/personal/securityFreeze
- no account or pin, they will send you a confirmation letter
- ChexSystems: https://www.chexsystems.com/security-freeze/place-freeze
- they will mail a PIN to you to manage the freeze
Side note: Please use a password manager to store this information and never repeat the password.
When you need it.
Unfreeze in 1-2 days or do it manually right after you finish the credit pulls.