Wawa data breach!

Thanks for posting this story. I really recommend everyone freeze your credit. You or a hacker cannot establish credit using your name and SSN without the PIN number issued by credit agency.
How do I place a freeze on my credit reports?

Lifelock is not the same. Lifelock simply puts a note in your credit file for the company issuing you new credit to ask for your ID. A Credit freeze is like putting a deadbolt lock on your door. Lifelock is like putting a "no trespassing" or "Unauthorized Personnel Prohibited" sign on your door. Most credit grantors will issue new credit without reading the Lifelock notice.

 

I had mine frozen for years.

It's getting to be a real PITA to unfreeze it these days. Last time took me almost an hour to unfreeze all 3 agencies.

Trying to access just about anything is getting to be a PITA. Specially if you have accounts that constantly want you to change your password.

 

1. Sign up for Credit Karma, it's free and will alert you to anything new on your credit report.

2. Never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever... use a debit card for anything. It is a really good way to have your bank account drained and can take a long time to get your money back. Been there, done that.

3. Use a real credit card and keep an unused backup card for the eventuality that the main card will have to be shut off.

I have my Capital One card set to alert me through the app and text messages instantly when a charge goes through. Makes it easy to shut your card off before the damage is too severe, not that Capital One has ever held me responsible for any fraudulent charges... they haven't.

4. After getting my card skimmed again, customer service at Capital One told me that the biggest culprits are gas pumps. They also said the only way they can be skimmed is through a mag-swipe—a chip reader transaction is encrypted and can't be skimmed.

5. West Palm Beach, FL is chock full of credit card thieves.

 

I think anyone caught installing a skimmer on a gas pump should be soaked in gasoline and lit on fire... but hey, that's just me.

 

I get my alerts from transunion for all 3 bureaus.

I had 3 bank cards shut down overnight. Only used 1 for a car wash. How they got all 3 is beyond me. My credit union credit and debit weren't even affected.

Banks are too risky and too costly with their higher interest.

Credit unions seem to be more safer and cheaper interest.

In the end, though. I don't think it matters anymore. All the precautions in the world won't stop them.