Under North Carolina law, businesses and state and local government agencies must give you notice if your personal information has been compromised by a security breach.
Businesses and state and local government agencies must also report security breaches to the Attorney General’s Office. More than 2,200 breaches that involved information about more than 6 million North Carolina consumers have been reported to their office since 2005.
Being notified that your information was part of a security breach does not necessarily mean you’ll become a victim of identity theft. However, you are at a greater risk and need to take steps to protect yourself.
Step 1: Check affected accounts
If the security breach involved credit cards, debit cards or specific accounts, check your statements for those accounts immediately.
If you see any activity that you did not authorize, contact the bank or company that services the account immediately to report the fraud. You should also request a new credit or debt card with a different number and change any PINs or passwords for the account.
A security freeze stops access to new credit in your name. Placing a security freeze prohibits credit reporting agencies from releasing any information about you to new creditors without your approval, making it difficult for an identity thief to use your information to open an account or obtain credit.
North Carolina consumers can now get free security freezes online. Identity theft victims who have filed a police report, their spouses, and consumers over the age of 62 can also get free security freezes by mail or phone. Other consumers can get security freezes by mail or phone for a fee.
Step 5: Monitor Your Credit