Recently, the fast-food restaurant, Wendy’s, was hit by malware that leaked customer payment information at more than 1,000 different locations. Also, The Home Depot had its own network breach back in 2014 as well which affected 56 million debit and credit cards. It’s also a corporate responsibility for all big companies, especially ones that are already very established, to keep their networks and systems secure from any sort of data breach.
Although it can almost be totally impossible on our part as a consumer to prevent credit card hacks from happening if we make purchases with our credit cards, we can still take action in reducing the damage it may cause.
How? Being a reputable identity theft lawyer in Virginia, we give you insight on how you can minimize the negative effects of credit card hacks on your finances:
Get a New Credit Card
If you’ve already gotten word of the data breach in a company you’ve had a transaction with or with your credit card company itself, then request a new card immediately. Most of the time, companies will process these requests immediately to avoid inconveniences and even more damage to their reputation. However, if they do not comply with your request immediately, you can seek legal advice from an identity theft lawyer to know what measures you can do and to be aware of site web your rights in this situation.
Freeze Your Credit Card
If your account is caught in a data breach, then call each of the main credit bureaus and ask permission to have your credit frozen. That way, no one can access your credit report your approval and creditor will not approve any application or transaction without gaining access to your credit report.
Request for Your Credit Report
By law, you are allowed to get one free credit report per year from each of the credit reporting companies. However, there are instances wherein you are able to get frequent free reports if you are a victim of fraud. Even if you aren’t a victim of identity theft yet, have a proactive approach and check your credit reports often.
Make Sure to Have Passwords That Aren’t Easy to Decipher
Whenever you’re applying for a debit or credit card, make sure to use strong passwords and change them frequently to avoid any form of identity theft. Know that if it’s easy for you to remember, it may also be easy for any tech-savvy hacker to find out.
Whatever the case, when credit card hacks or any other forms of identity theft happen to you, make sure to act on it right away. If you have a problem having major companies helping you with your case, you can get the help of an identity theft lawyer, like Baneylaw P.C. Bankruptcy and Consumer Law.
Nathan D. Baney is an expert in dealing with bankruptcy, identity theft, debt collection abuse, and other cases associated with consumer law. Should you need a reliable identity theft lawyer in Annapolis, try this out MD, contact Baneylaw right away.