Earlier this month, I began a series of articles about online privacy, specifically what I’m doing to protect myself. I encouraged my readers to consider doing similar things and to share this information with friends and family.
In just the last two weeks, I was made aware of another two websites being hacked that involved the disclosure of my private information, including address, Social Security Number, date of birth, and medical information, including claims data. WTF?
Here is what Reliashield told me just yesterday:
Here are the first two articles where I first lay out the huge problem we have online, the lessons I’ve taken away, and the 10 reasons why you should take immediate steps to protect yourself:
Trust Your Gut and Take Action When Privacy Threats Appear
https://jayrtaylor.substack.com/p/trust-your-gut-and-take-action-when?r=zch74
Nothing to Hide: Why Should I Care About My Online Privacy?
https://jayrtaylor.substack.com/p/nothing-to-hide-why-should-i-care?r=zch74
The document above was received 3 days ago explaining a hack of WPS, a company I’ve never heard of. Of course, they apologize for being breached. How does that help me? They then offer that so-called “free credit monitoring” for a year, which does little to protect me from invasions of my privacy or misuse of my information. All it does is provide them protection in the law. The information someone needs to open accounts in my name or attempt to impersonate me with providers is “out there” forever.
I feel like crap because, over the years, I’ve taken what I thought were practical steps to protect this information, including these things:
Used a paper shredder to dispose of confidential/personal records.
Opened a PO Box where my business, banking, and financial-related statements are sent.
Use the PO Box address on my checks.
Sign into online banking and financial accounts using 2FA (two-factor authentication).
I do not give out SSN, income, or other information to prying eyes without a need to know.
Some other things.
So how do they continue to get my information to put on the dark web? Two of the hacks involved medical providers I never received services from but are used by my hospital network. Another one was a flower shop. Another was AT&T. Still another involved T-Mobile. It just never ends.
Anyway, I will soon post an article about the movement in the U.S. being made to force everyone to use a digital identity doled out by a central authority. I will focus on a digital provider named ID.me because it involves millions of Americans and may not be an “American company.”
Stay tuned.