Is this reported data breach of concern to me?

I would call the non-emergency police line, in office hours, for assistance. Just in case it’s a scamer contacting you.

Who did it come from, or if you’re not comfortable saying, then what kind of company was it? One of the 3 credit bureaus, a data collection company, the company that allegedly had the data breach, etc?

I wouldn’t worry, but I’m not an expert on these things. Watch your bills.

I do recommend freezing your credit with all three credit bureaus so no one can open accounts in your name. It’s free. Your husband’s SS# is already frozen by the government.

I suggest freezing your credit with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.

Here’s the USA Today article about a massive breach at the National Public Database.

Keep in mind that now there are laws that require companies to notify you – those laws are relatively recent.

So you get these messages with pretty much zero information, and they scare the hell out of you.

Bottom line: if those accounts are still open (you have possibly closed the since your husband died), then log in and check to see if the numbers make sense. Change your passwords. And as a general rule, keep an eye on your credit reports.

While it is good that you are informed, the companies are trying to cover their own asses, and as such, sound alarmist.

United HealthCare had a data breach with millions of accounts compromised. The breachers got account numbers, name, address, d.o.b., and SS numbers. UHC has a thing set up where you can sign up for a year’s worth of free monitoring. Yours may have something similar.

I can’t believe it’s already been 3½ years! I remember that period of time when you were going through it.

I saw a news clip once where they said it’s cheaper for the companies to deal with a data breach than it is for them to invest in more advanced computer systems that are impervious (or more impervious) to hackers.

Thanks, all. On closer inspection, I think it might be a scam, asking me (or actually, asking him) to enroll in something.

What does it mean to freeze your credit?

@Jeruba It means if someone tries to use your social security number to open a bank account, get a loan, rent a house, use your name for utilities, when the company runs your credit to approve you they won’t be able to run it. You have to unfreeze your credit for it to go through.