NEW ORLEANS — On July 29, Capital One announced out they'd been hacked, saying personal information from existing customers and credit card applicants were accessed that spanned back more than a decade.
No account numbers or log-in credentials were compromised but things like name, address, date of birth and self-reported income were seen. It also included information like payment history, balances, credit scores and some transaction data.
So if you're a customer, what do you do?
Capital One says they'll reach out to anyone who's been affected, but there's no harm in doing that yourself. Call and ask, and if you're a victim they'll tell you what to do next.
Data breaches are common though, so whether you were impacted by this one or not, there are things everyone should do now to be better protected.
1. Check your accounts.
Look over all credit card and bank statements for suspicious activity, check your credit reports to see if new accounts were opened. These are things you should do on a regular basis.
2. Change your passwords
We've all heard it, but there's a reason why you should have symbols, numbers and letters all mixed together.
Some websites also have 2-factor authentication which you should use.
Basically, every time you log into your account, they'll send you a one-time code on your phone. You write it where prompted, then you access the website.
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3. You can freeze your credit.
Freezing your credit card is free and can be done online or over the phone. Some argue it's one of the best ways to prevent anyone from opening an account. But, if you're buying a home, vehicle or applying for a loan, that may be affected.
In this age of technology companies are doing what they can to protect customers. But you should be doing the same because really it's not if a breach will happen, but when.