What to do if your personal information is exposed in a data breach

It is no one's idea of a good day to receive an alert that your personal information may have been exposed in a data breach. Unfortunately, these breaches are not uncommon. Just a few weeks ago, there was "a massive data breach that compromised the Social Security numbers and other data of millions of Americans," including their names and addresses, said USA Today. 

While it may be tempting to shrug this kind of thing off, there actually are steps you can — and should — take in the event that your sensitive information is compromised. Making these moves now can help prevent further issues down the road.

Change your passwords and secure your accounts

"If your data has been exposed, the first thing you should do is change your password for the account involved," said The Associated Press. This applies for all websites where you were "using the same or similar login information."

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Make sure the new password you select is a strong one. Ideally, it should include "letters, numbers and symbols" and generally, "the longer the better — some experts say it should be 16 characters," said the AP. It is also worth setting up extra account protections, like two-factor authentication.

Worried you will have trouble keeping track of lengthy, complicated passwords? Consider a password manager. "These easy-to-use apps generate highly secure, unique passwords and remember them for you," said Experian, meaning "all you have to remember is one master password."

Check your credit card statements and credit reports

Another important step to take is to check your credit card statements for any suspicious activity or fraudulent charges. If you do spot anything amiss, it is important that you immediately "call your issuer to get more details," said NerdWallet — "most often, your liability is limited to only $50 and perhaps less."

Beyond checking your existing accounts, also check all your credit reports. Doing so "can help you identify any unusual activity related to credit fraud and identity theft, such as the creation of loan or credit card accounts you don't recognize and the addition of unfamiliar addresses to your personal information," said Experian. You can easily check all three credit reports from the major credit bureaus at no cost by visiting AnnualCreditReport.com.

Consider freezing your credit report, or set up fraud alerts

A credit freeze is a good move to make "if you are concerned about the integrity of your credit because your personal information may have been stolen," said USA Today. Effectively, it "prevents creditors from accessing your credit report," which is a necessary step in applying and getting approved for new credit accounts.

Freezing your credit is easy and free to do. Simply reach out to "each of the three credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion" — which you can do "online, over the phone, or by mail," said NerdWallet.

In the instance "you don't want to lock out creditors — perhaps you're in the middle of applying for a mortgage or car loan — you can instead add a fraud alert to your credit reports," said NerdWallet. This option "flags potential creditors that they should verify your identity before issuing new credit in your name," and "lasts for a year," at which point you can opt to renew it.

Remain vigilant

Do not let your guard down just because you checked these boxes. The unfortunate reality is that "data exposed during a breach creates a serious fraud risk," and a range of sensitive information "could wind up in the hands of criminals or on the dark web," said Experian.

As such, it is smart to continue to keep an eye on account activity and your credit reports. "Hang on to any unusual mail or emails, such as IRS tax notices, bills or statements from unfamiliar lenders" if you receive them, said Experian. Additionally, "staying up to date on the latest scams can help you stay defensive," as can knowing "common signs of phishing attempts."