Minimizing the security breach

The security breach at one South Carolina state agency has prompted another to offer information to help protect taxpayers potentially affected. According to State Senator Thomas Alexander, the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs has a direct role to play and is doing that by offering information about the availability of fraud alerts on credit reports and security freezes. Alexander speaks further about a security freeze on an individual’s credit report, available at no charge by calling all three national credit reporting agencies: Equifax: 800/-685-1111; TransUnion: 800/680-7289; and Experian: 888/397-3742. If you are an individual taxpayer who filed a South Carolina tax return since 1998 you are potentially a victim of cyber identity theft. Free protection is offered. The state is providing one year of free credit monitoring and identity theft protection by Experian ProtectMyID Alert. If you file business tax returns in South Carolina, you can file for identity/credit protection through either Dunn and Bradstreet, or through Experian.