Will the Equifax Data Breach Impact Your Social Security Benefits?
By now, you've probably heard the news that Equifax, one of the three major credit bureaus, experienced a major data breach that could potentially impact a whopping 143 million Americans. As a result, criminals now have access to loads of information that can be used to perpetuate identity theft crimes, from birth dates to addresses to driver's license numbers. Countless Social Security numbers, however, were also obtained during the recent breach, which means that not only might your identity be compromised, but also, your Social Security benefits.
The primary concern with regard to the Equifax breach is the fact that criminals might attempt to open credit cards in consumers' names, or use existing cards to rack up charges that those consumers would then potentially be on the hook to pay for. But those same unscrupulous individuals might also attempt to steal countless amounts of Social Security income from otherwise unsuspecting workers and seniors.
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Source: Fool.com