Protect your Social Security benefits after data breaches

October 12, 2017

Industry Updates, Social Security

By Michelle Singletary:

The irony is not lost on me — nor should it be on you — that National Cyber Security Awareness Month falls at the same time we celebrate Halloween.
When it comes to money, one of the scariest things happening right now is the insecurity of our financial information.

The fast-food chain Sonic just became the latest company to reveal that hackers gained access to customers’ data. This time, it was debit and credit card information.

Earlier, Equifax revealed that 145.5 million consumer accounts were compromised in a data breach. And Yahoo recently disclosed that every single account it had as of 2013 was compromised in a data breach that year.

The Department of Homeland Security and the National Cyber Security Alliance launched the annual cybersecurity awareness campaign in 2004. And there’s a lot of focus right now on what consumers can do to protect themselves. Here’s one thing I’ve suggested: Create a “my Social Security” account on the Social Security Administration’s website. It’s an important portal to your Social Security benefits… Read more…