Scammers are trying to prey on Mississippians affected by a credit reporting security breach. MPB's Ezra Wall reports.
Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood says scammers are taking advantage of a recent data breach at credit reporting agency, Equifax. The company has set up a site where consumers can find out whether their personal information was improperly released. That website is EquifaxSecurity2017.com. Hood warns not to trust sites that are similar, but not the same.
"Now the hackers have gone and set up websites that are so similar to the website that you go to to check if you're a victim," says Hood. "They only change one number."
Equifax has come under fire after admitting that hackers accessed the private information of more than 100-million consumers, including Social Security numbers, birthdates and other information. Officials and experts have been advising those affected to monitor their credit reports, and even consider freezing their credit. Hood says some people have been frustrated with slow websites, and he wants to hear about it.
"We AGs are going to make Equifax do right in the end of this," says Hood. "But, I'm not sure what people are encountering, if they're having trouble getting on these websites. I didn't have any trouble, but if they're having those problems getting that freeze, getting through to somebody, our office would like to hear."
Hood says consumers can contact his office at AGJimHood.com.
Equifax announced last week the company is replacing two top-level security officials.
