So, AT&T got stormed again, and this time 70 million of us got our info served up on a silver platter.

Yes, that includes the juicy bits like social security numbers and birthdays. Déjà vu? Yep, but now, there's more at stake.

You’re probably thinking, "Great, another two years of free credit monitoring to add to my collection." 🎁

But what about when the damage is already done, like you getting that collections call that your payday loan is defaulted (and you didn't take one out!)

Fear not! We’ve got a game plan for you.

Add a Fraud Alert

The "Better Safe Than Sorry" Move

It's actually super simple.

Imagine: You’re about to be swindled, then – BAM! – the lender calls you up first for a quick chat. "Hey, just checking if you’re actually buying a diamond crystal dog bathtub?" 🚀

Piece of cake setup:

• Go to TransUnion’s Fraud Alert page.
• Click on "Fraud Alert," then "Add Fraud Alert."
• Sign up faster than you can say "Not today, scammers!"
• Fill in your info (they know more about you than you anyways), and you're golden. 🌟

TransUnion will tell all the other agencies to put a fraud alert in place. Pro tip: Set a reminder to do this yearly – this scammer repellent does have an expiry date.

Credit Freeze

The "Fort Knox" Defense

This is the big guns. 🏰 Freezing your credit is like telling lenders, "You shall not pass" unless you say so. It's a bit more of a hustle since you need to talk to or sign up at all three credit bureaus, but it's the ultimate peace-of-mind package.

Here’s how to lock things down:
At TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax

• Follow the steps to Add a Freeze.
• You'll create an account
• Answer a few personal questions
• And Freeze Your Credit

It's Free

And be careful - you don't need to pay for "Credit Locks", nor do you need to pay for credit reports.

You can directly access all the reporting agency sites here site: https://www.identitytheft.gov/#/CreditBureauContacts

Extra Credit

For the icing on the cake, keep tabs on your email at Have I Been Pwned (click Notify Me at the top). You get alerted when your email shows up in a breach and you'll know if you need to change your password or take any action.

Stay safe, stay savvy!

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