BELLEVUE, Wash. — T-Mobile recently confirmed that a cyberattack exposed the personal data of millions of its current, former and prospective customers.
The cellphone carrier conducted an investigation that revealed some of the leaked personal data included Social Security numbers, birth dates, names and driver license information. The company did stress, however, that it does not appear any customer credit card or payment info was leaked.
While the company continues working on how to keep its customers safe from cybersecurity threats, here are some steps you can take to protect your information in the meantime.
Change your pin and password
Though T-Mobile says it found no information indicating that any PINs or passwords were stolen, it's still a good idea to keep your account secure.
To do this, the primary account holder must log onto the T-Mobile app or My T-Mobile online. Remember not to use any personal info like your Social Security number or date of birth when setting your new PIN.
You can also change your T-Mobile ID password online or in the app. The company says it's good practice to change this password every few months.
Use T-Mobile's free scam-blocking features
Customers can take advantage of T-Mobile's Scam Shield App at no additional cost. The app automatically blocks and tracks scam callers, displays the name of who's calling — even if they're not in your contact list, and allows you to easily report a scam call.
Implement a fraud alert or freeze your credit
Freezing your credit is free, does not affect your credit score, and blocks anyone from opening a new line of credit using your personal information without additional verification.
To do this, you’ll have to contact each of the three major credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — with your request.
If you don't want to completely freeze your credit, you can issue a fraud alert through one of the three major credit bureaus. This indicates to anyone requesting your credit file that you think your information may have been compromised. Once a business is made aware of the fraud alert, it will have to verify your identity before issuing you credit.
Lastly, it's a good idea to keep up with updates from T-Mobile in case it finds any more pertinent information through its investigation. The company has this page dedicated specifically to the breach. You can always check there for more information.
