Hacked
I rarely ever shop on line, I delete all strange looking e-mails, don’t talk to strangers, don’t accept their candy, and I don’t accept Facebook Friends I don’t know…… I thought I was safe. All this changed Monday morning when I woke up to the headline that a former employer’s database had been hacked and confidential information on thousands of people had been compromised. Having your Social Security number published on the World Wide Web has its own sickening feeling in the pit of your stomach that Pepto-Bismol can’t help. How dare they (hackers)! Sooner or later after your start to breathe again the question jumps out and startles your all over AGAIN….What am I going to do?
While I still am questioning myself about covering all bases, here is what I did. I looked for my local bank in the phone book and got only 1-800 numbers….dialed the phone, and someone in some other state answered. I stated that I needed to speak to my local branch IMMEDIATELY! The lady inquired about the nature of my emergency. When I explained….she IMMEDIATELY started telling me about a “product” the bank offered that would protect my account. It would only cost five dollars a month. Five dollars a month may not sound like a lot, but for someone retired drawing less than half of their paycheck ….five dollars is a LOT! That would total sixty dollars a year….that would buy me a whole tank of gas. The lady did not transfer me but stated that she had spoken with someone and, again, she insisted that I purchase the protection plan. Again, I declined and by now I am getting irritated. She was nice enough to give me the numbers of the three credit Kingpins (Equifax, Trans Union, and Experian) where I would need to place an alert in the event that anyone would pick my SS number from among the thousands, and try to buy something I never dreamed of having.
My first call was to Experian. I hate pushing buttons…. especially when what I need is not on their menu, and that little automated voice had no clue that I had an EMERGENCY! Imagine how great I felt when it asked me to enter my SS number. Wouldn’t you know it….they offered me their ID Theft Protection Insurance!!!! It was only going to cost about $15 bucks a month. That would be THREE tanks for gas for the year! At this point I felt tears in my eyes. Not once during the whole conversation did I speak with a live person….even though I punched the 0 several times when given menu options. It only made that darn little automated voice tell me that ‘0’ was not an option, and the message would start all over again.
I understand that when one of the three credit reporting agencies gets an alert, they have to share with the other two. I had no confirmation that it had been received and processed, so I proceeded to call the next Kingpin…… Trans Union. This was another several minutes of pushing buttons and sharing my sacred SS number. And guess what they offered…..you got it….another opportunity to purchase their ID Theft Insurance! Still no confirmation of having received my notice of alert.
Kingpin number three….Equifax. Yes, it was the same button pushing process. But just as I was about to end it, a LIVE person who could barely speak English was suddenly on the line. Bet you can’t guess what she wanted to talk to me about…....Yep! The opportunity to purchase their ID Theft Insurance. I didn’t even bother to ask how much. I was informed that the alert was only good for 90 days. After that I would need to pay to have it extended.
The next step I took was to look up the Social Security Office on line. I figured this would be a lot easier than calling them. If you have ever had to call the SS office… you understand what I am saying. I was able to navigate through to the page that told me what to do in the event that my SS number was compromised. Guess who they suggested for one to call…..Yep! The three Kingpins…. Experian, Trans Union and Equifax. Then they gave a link for filing with the FTC. That was the easiest part of the process.
The last thing I did was to change my bank access information. Since yesterday I have logged on to my account and checked it at least a dozen times. If anyone hacked my bank account, they (the perpetrator(s)) would be as ticked off over their findings as I would be having to go through the process of changing all my information…..and then trying to remember it the next time I needed to log on.
Through this whole process, these questions have taken up residence in my mind:
Why should I have to buy insurance? Shouldn’t the person allowing the perps to make a purchase using stolen information be held responsible?
Isn’t having to pay for insurance very much like having to pay the Mafia for their protection?
The whole town has been abuzz since Monday morning. In the course of conversation with my cohorts (co-victims), I have been asked, “Who did it?” If I knew, the FBI would be knocking on my door right now wanting answers, and inquiring as to where the body was located. Another question asked, “Why would they do that?” My answer…because they CAN.
To the hacker(s): You are all coprolites. I included the link to the dictionary so you can look it up. You stated, “I'd like to apologize that I've harmed their families, caused problems,” …… How remorseful! For you I find this fitting….”May the fleas of a thousand camels infest your crotch, and may your arms be too short for your hands to scratch! “
