Last week, Capital One announced that they experienced a data breach in March which exposed the data of nearly 106 million bank customers or credit card applicants. Capital One has said they will notify the customers or applicants whose data was exposed. However, you must stay alert and be on the lookout for any phone calls, emails, or text messages from cyber criminals related to this data breach.
Watch out for the following things:
- Phishing emails that claim to be from your financial institution where you can “check if your data was compromised”
- Phishing emails that claim there is a problem with a credit card, your credit record, or other personal financial information
- Calls from scammers that claim they are from your bank, a credit union, or a government institution
- Any unexpected communication requesting personal information, such as your Social Security Number
- Indications that your identity was stolen, such as fraudulent charges on your credit card or notifications that your credit score has lowered
Stay safe out there!
Stop, Look, and Think. Don’t be fooled.