“Check your credit report,” urges Alissa (Dr Jay) Abdullah, PhD, Deputy Chief Security Officer at Mastercard, on the latest episode of “Mastering Cyber” a weekly one-minute advisory that helps consumers and businesses maneuver cybersecurity industry tips, terms, and topics.
Why check my credit report?
You may not know that identity theft has happened until you see your credit report, are notified when trying to apply for credit, or get called by a debt collector, according to AnnualCreditReport.com, the only source for free credit reports authorized by Federal law.
Identity theft and credit card fraud have been the most common types of fraud since 2020, according to data from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Mastering Cyber.
Dr Jay’s go-to source for free credit report checks is AnnualCreditReport.com. She says that if you go there today, then you’ll be one step closer to mastering cyber.
Mastercard has announced plans to remove the 16-digit number from their credit and debit cards by 2030 in a move designed to stamp out identity theft and fraudulent use of cards. But that’s a long way off and we all need to take personal accountability for our cybersecurity today. If not, then a hack may be inevitable.