How To Keep Your Private Information Safe Following Massive Capital One Data Breach
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- If Capital One is in your wallet, listen up. The company has experience one of the largest data breaches in history.
The private information of 100 million American credit card holders has been compromised. Capital One says this impact credit card customers who applied for credit from 2005 to earlier this year.
They also admit this was an inside job and not a breach of its security systems. The company will now offer free credit monitoring and identity theft protection to anyone affected.
The FBI arrested one person for the breach. The suspect is Paige Thompson of Seattle. She's charged with computer fraud and abuse.
They say she worked as an engineer for a cloud computing company. Capital One says she was able to gain access to applicants' names, addresses, dates of birth, credit scores and credit limits.
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The company also says some social security numbers were stolen. Eyewitness News reached out to a cyber security expert on how we can be more vigilant with our private information.
"You want to make sure you're on top of it. Ideally, you're finding out before they notify you so you can take the necessary steps," Professor Rob D'Ovidio, of Drexel University, said. "To do that, you've gotta monitor your credit, you've gotta monitor your statements to make sure there are no suspicious activity on your accounts and you've gotta be mindful of who you're giving your information to."
D'Ovidio says you should also make sure your phones and computers are up to date with security features as well.
CBS3's Howard Monroe reports.
