Equifax

The article discusses risks of personal information being on the dark web due to data breaches and advises solutions like using unique passwords, multifactor authentication (MFA), credit freezes, and securing phone lines to prevent identity theft. It emphasizes that while exposure is common, proactive measures can mitigate harm from automated password attacks and SIM-swapping.

Credit freezes, while free since 2018, are insufficient to fully protect against identity fraud. The 2026 Identity Fraud Study reports $27.3 billion in losses and a 31% rise in new-account fraud, with synthetic identity fraud exploiting gaps by combining real SSNs with fake identities. Credit freezes fail to block these attacks, as they bypass traditional credit file checks.

A major data breach involving Conduent Business Services exposed 25 million Americans' personal and medical data, prompting questions about DIY identity protection versus paid services. The article outlines free federal tools like credit freezes, IRS Identity Protection PINs, and regular credit monitoring to mitigate risks.

Equifax reported its fastest revenue growth since 2021, driven by increased demand for mortgage-related services. The company attributed the surge to a rise in home loan activity during the period.