Data Breach: Steps to Take After Your Business Credit Information Has Been Stolen
Not everyone will be a victim of identity theft as a result of a breach, but keeping informed can help you lessen the risk when dealing with any data breach. When a breach does occur, you can take action by doing a few things.
What You Should Do Now
Stay alert: If you have been part of a data breach, the breached company may send you a notice. Retain all documents and consider any suggestions they may have. Also, pay attention to and retain any mail you receive that is unfamiliar to you, such as notices from the IRS regarding your taxes or any bills from unknown lenders.
Monitor your financial accounts
Visit your online bank and financial accounts, and set up any alert features they may have, if you have not already done so. This could help save some time and keep you notified of any unusual events when they occur.
Monitor your business credit report, not just your personal report
You can check your business credit report directly from this website. Checking your business credit report can help you identify any unusual activity, such as new accounts, new business information or inquiries. If you would like to keep a closer eye on your business credit, you can also subscribe to Experian's business credit monitoring service called Business Credit Advantage. Under this plan you will receive emailed business credit alerts when changes occur to your report, as well as the most recent report on your business with each login.
An additional precautionary step you can take for free: Place a free fraud alert on your business credit file
A Fraud Alert statement is most effective for those who believe they are victims of business fraud. The statement is different than credit freezes, which is available for consumer credit only. Such statements can be viewed by lending and financial institutions when evaluating your business credit report. This extra precaution will notify the potential lender that they should take additional steps to verify your identity before granting any new line of credit in your business name. Visit our education page to learn how to place a Fraud Alert statement on your business credit file.
Other ways Experian can help you
For consumer credit protection, Experian has extensive information and resources available on our web site, such as this article, "Here's What You Should Do After a Data Breach" and our assistance page. Additionally, Experian offers Experian IdentityWorks, which provides 3-bureau credit report monitoring, Dark Web monitoring, a variety of alerts that may warn of potential fraud, up to $1 million in identity theft protection and dedicated fraud resolution specialists.
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Do you have more questions regarding Experian business credit reports? Return to the home page of BusinessCreditFacts.com for more commonly asked business credit questions, additional resources, and special offers to help you manage and grow a business.You may also view our full list of frequently asked questions by visiting this page.
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