DENVER -- The impact of the Equifax data breach could impact your life in many unexpected ways.
If someone takes your personal information and ruins your credit score, it could impact your ability to get a job, a car or a home.
- Among the suggestions from the Federal Trade Commission:
- Freeze your credit, so it’s more difficult for someone to open an account
- Keep watch of your current credit card and banking accounts for any changes
- Check your credit reports. There are other agencies besides Equifax. You can visit annualcreditreport.com as well as IdentityTheft.gov for further information
One loan officer told Denver7 she’s concerned her clients will get unexpected surprises when applying for a home mortgage.
“It’s hidden. You might not know it until that credit card is pulled, you might not realize that they’ve opened credit cards in your name. You might now realize that they’ve gone and pulled your down payment out of the bank,” said Lainey Hamrick of Englewood Mortgage Company.
In addition, if you’re trying to access the Equifax website, be prepared for delays of 30 minutes because of high usage.
