How to Protect Your Online Accounts After a Breach

Airlines, healthcare, and the retail sector are common targets for cyber attackers. Reports show that millions of people’s data have recently been leaked and sold on the dark web. Whether the breach is major or minor, it can still lead to serious consequences. These breaches may involve personal phone numbers, office or home addresses, email IDs, passwords, information about friends and family, purchase histories, driver’s license numbers, bank details, and more.

Scammers often sell this stolen data to other fraudsters, who then carry out illegal activities or large financial transactions in the victims’ names. With such increasingly sophisticated data breach scams, it’s more important than ever to stay protected. This guide will walk you through practical steps to help you avoid becoming a victim.

How Cybercriminals Use Your Breached Data

Cybercriminals open fraudulent accounts or take out loans in your name, make unauthorized purchases with stolen credit card details, resell your information on the dark web, and extort and blackmail you using your sensitive data to threaten you into paying them.

In short, they use your breached data for the following purposes:

• Identity theft
• Financial fraud
• Account takeover
• Credential stuffing
• Dark web sales
• Phishing and social engineering
• Ransomware attacks

7 Practical Tips to Secure Your Online Accounts After a Breach

If you suspect any company or an individual of having your data, consider the following practical tips:

Tip 1: Freeze Your Credit Report

Freezing your credit after a data breach is a proactive step that prevents identity thieves from opening new fraudulent accounts in your name. It acts as a powerful defense by blocking access to your credit report, but it does not protect your accounts from the scammer targets. Freezing your credit will not negatively affect your credit score.

Tip 2: Change All of Your Passwords

First, confirm if your data has been breached by using a reputable identity theft checker tool. Now, coming to the action. Change your bank account passwords; even if you have multiple accounts, change their passwords too. This is one of the foremost steps you can take when your data is breached. Change your passwords and PINs as fast as possible. Use strong, complex passwords for each account and keep your accounts updated with unique passwords.

Tip 3: Enable Two-Factor Authentication

Enabling it will act as a physical barrier against hackers. During a data breach, a scammer steals or exposes your password. When an attacker tries to log in with your stolen credentials, the system will request a second authentication factor, like an OTP or one-time code sent to your phone.

Since the attacker doesn’t have access to the second factor, they cannot complete the login process and get blocked from accessing your account.

Tip 4: Keep a Check on Bank Account Statements

Many facilities include free bank monitoring services to individuals whose data has been breached. Apart from this, make sure to monitor your bank statements from time to time, keep your eyes open, and notice any suspicious activity. Check for fraudulent transactions or unexpected changes in your transaction history and report them immediately to your associated bank.

Tip 5: Set Up Credit Monitoring

Services like credit monitoring track your credit report for changes like new account applications or inquiries and alert you to any suspicious activity. Contact any of the three major credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion to place a one-year fraud alert on your credit report. They will then notify the other bureaus. That way, you get aware of changes to your credit.

Tip 6: Be Cautious of Phishing Scams

Once your data is breached, scammers may flood you with fake emails and messages, trying to trick you into clicking malicious links. Do not click on the links that ask you to download files from suspicious sites. Always check the email address first to verify if it is coming from the original person. 

Tip 7: File an Identity Theft Report

To secure your data after a breach, first file an identity theft report at IdentityTheft.gov to get a personalized recovery plan, if needed. Then, contact your banks and credit card companies to alert them about the data breach and monitor for fraudulent activity. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I freeze my credit after data breach?

Yes, you must freeze your credit after a data breach, as it's a powerful and free tool to secure new accounts from being opened in your name. Freezing your credit report is a proactive step to safeguard your finances, regardless of whether you’ve already been targeted. Update the passwords for your credit card accounts and other important online services. This adds a protection layer by enabling MFA on your accounts. If you’re in the middle of a legitimate credit application, you can place a fraud alert instead of a freeze.

How to protect Social Security numbers after a data breach?

To protect your Social Security number (SSN) after a data breach:

• You should place a credit freeze with all three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion).
• Consider doing a fraud alert on your credit reports.
• Monitor both your credit and bank statements for suspicious activity.
• Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) on your online accounts.

You should also be vigilant for phishing scams and take advantage of any free identity theft or credit monitoring services offered after the breach.

Can someone still open accounts with a freeze?

Banks have different criteria and don’t always review your entire banking history when you apply for a new account, particularly if the freeze isn’t linked to a broader financial issue. Some banks specialize in offering second-chance accounts for individuals who may have had past banking issues. However, it still depends on the reason for the freeze and the new bank’s policies, particularly if the new account is affected by issues such as ongoing legal action, outstanding debts, or fraudulent activity.