Equifax hack: what it means for customers in the UK

Customers with the credit reporting agency, Equifax, are being urged to check for any unusual activity after a cyber attack has left millions of customers vulnerable to fraud.
CybercrimeCybercrime
Cybercrime

Equifax, which provides a credit report and score, has said that the cyber breach has potentially left 143 million US customers vulnerable, Action Fraud and Equifax are now trying to determine how many UK users have been affected.

The breach of security was reported to Action Fraud on 08 September, however, Equifax discovered the unauthorised access on 29 July 2017.

Credit card numbers accessed

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Equifax said in a statement, ““The information accessed primarily includes names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses and, in some instances, driver’s license numbers.

“In addition, credit card numbers for approximately 209,000 U.S. consumers, and certain dispute documents with personal identifying information for approximately 182,000 U.S. consumers, were accessed.

“As part of its investigation of this application vulnerability, Equifax also identified unauthorized access to limited personal information for certain UK and Canadian residents. Equifax will work with UK and Canadian regulators to determine appropriate next steps. The company has found no evidence that personal information of consumers in any other country has been impacted.

Action Fraud has stated that it will report any updates as to how many UK customers have been affected.

Report any suspicious activity

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Although the number of UK users is still undetermined Action Fraud are urging any concerned Equifax customers to report any suspicious activity.

A spokesperson from Action Fraud said, “If any of your financial details were compromised, notify your bank or card company as soon as possible. Review your financial statements regularly for any unusual activity.

“Be suspicious of any unsolicited calls, emails or texts, even if it appears to be from a company you know of. Don’t open the attachments or click on links within unsolicited emails, and never disclose any personal or financial details during a cold call.

“Check your bank accounts and report any suspicious activity to your bank.”

Equifax are now working with regulators to take the next appropriate steps.