55 • TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 14, 2014 AG: Online Security Breach May Prove Very Costly block someone from obtaining credit using your name or personal information. You won’t be able to apply for any new credit cards or loans while the freeze is in effect, but you can continue to use your existing cards. To freeze your credit file, you must notify each of the three major credit bureaus. You can remove the freeze temporarily or permanently by contacting each of the three agencies. There is no fee if you have been the victim of identity theft. The freeze can be removed only by you. • Get a copy of your credit report from each of the three agencies. You are entitled to free reports once you post a fraud alert (see below) or put a freeze on your account. Read the reports carefully to see whether other fraudulent transactions or accounts are listed, and then take steps to correct those errors. • Check your credit card account frequently to look for any irregular activity. • Change any user names and passwords. For user names and passwords, change them immediately on the relevant account and monitor the account for unusual activity. If you use the same user name or password on other accounts, change those as well. If you might be a victim: • Report to any of the three credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Transunion or Experian) that you may have been a victim of identity theft. Make sure the credit reporting agency has your current contact information so it can get in contact with you. • Ask the credit reporting agencies to put a fraud alert on your credit file. This will still allow you to use your credit card. If you put a fraud alert on your file, you may ask for a free credit report from each of the credit reporting agencies. Contacting any one of the three credit reporting agencies listed above is enough to file a credit alert with all of them. A credit alert must be renewed every 90 days. • You also have a right to put a credit freeze on your file. You may be charged a fee of up to $5 if you have not been a victim of identity theft. • You should also check your credit activity regularly with each credit issuer. You don’t need to wait for your monthly statement, though you should check that as well. Many banks provide online information to account holders about recent activity. The contact information for the credit reporting agencies: Equifax (1-800-525-6285); Experian (1-888- 397-3742) and TransUnion (1-800-680-7289). The Attorney General’s Office also suggests that consumers guard against future threats in the following ways: • Create strong passwords for online accounts and update them frequently. Use different passwords for different accounts, especially for websites where you have disseminated sensitive information, such as credit card or Social Security numbers. • Carefully monitor credit card and debit card statements each month. If you find any abnormal transactions, contact your bank or credit card agency immediately. • Do not write down or store passwords electronically. If you do, be extremely careful of where you store passwords. Be aware that any passwords stored electronically (such as in a word processing document or cell phone’s notepad) can be easily stolen and provide fraudsters with one-stop shopping for all your sensitive information. If you hand-write passwords, do not store them in plain sight. • Do not post any sensitive information on social media. Information such as birthdays, addresses and phone numbers can be used by fraudsters to authenticate account information. Practice data minimization techniques. Don’t overshare. • Always be aware of the current threat landscape. Stay up to date on media reports of data security breaches and consumer advisories. -CONTINUED FROM PG. 27- Glendale Mall Success Story look nice.” In addition to watching over the cosmetics at Atlas Park, DeLucia is heavily involved in the malls community outreach efforts. “I think they really like the things that are going on at Atlas Park, all the new store openings. Good things are happening here,” he said. And the surrounding neighborhoods play a vital role, he added. “They are the lifeline for our tenants,” he said. From July 15 through Aug. 31, the mall will host free events everyday, he noted. A wide selection of events will be held this month, from live music, yoga and zumba for adults to Lego building, and magic and puppetry shows for kids. “We try to hit something for everybody,” he said. DeLucia wants to continue getting the right retail mix and attracting more retailers to central Queens, he said. And five new stores opened in 2013, he noted. DeLucia looks to “continue to provide a merchandising mix which will serve customers in our trade area while maintaining our reputation as the entertainment venue for our community,” he said. -CONTINUED FROM PG. 27- Social Security News workers in commerce and industry and provided only retirement benefits. Today, Social Security is much more than a retirement program. It provides benefits to disabled individuals and their families and benefits to widows, widowers and the minor children of deceased workers. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) helps aged and disabled people who have low income and limited resources. We have work incentives to help those people with disabilities go to work. Social Security even provides Extra Help with Medicare prescription drug costs. In so many ways, Social Security benefits America. Social Security works because it is an enduring agreement between generations. It is arguably our government’s most important program, and quite possibly the strongest expression of community our nation has. For 79 years, Social Security has made a tremendous and positive difference in the lives of millions, and this is certainly something to celebrate. Learn more about Social Security’s rich history at www.socialsecurity.gov/history. Become a part of Social Security’s history by choosing to do business with us online at www.socialsecurity.gov/onlineserv ices. -CONTINUED FROM PG. 27- SUBSCRIBE TO THE Times Newsweekly Established in 1908 as Ridgewood Times Serving All Queens And Brooklyn + BEST Community Coverage + LARGEST Classified Pages + MORE Local Features & Columns FOR ONLY $2500 A YEAR You Can Get The Times Newsweekly Mailed To Your Home For 52 Weeks ($30.00 Outside Queens & Brooklyn) FILL IN COUPON AND MAIL WITH CHECK NAME__________________________________________ ADDRESS______________________________________ _______________________________________________ CITY___________________________ ZIP_____________ PHONE_____________________________________________ _(circle one) NEW SUBSCRIPTION RENEWAL WE ACCEPT ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS CALL 1-718-821-7500 Times Newsweekly P.O. Box 860299, Ridgewood, N.Y. 11386-0299
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