Equifax hack hits UK users

Millions of British records were compromised in the hack of credit-rating agency, Equifax. Ruth Jackson explains how you can keep your data safe.

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Beware of imposters who steal your identity
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Equifax is not having a good month. A couple of weeks ago, the credit-checking agency belatedly admitted that it had been subject to a data breach, but downplayed the problem, saying it had affected fewer than 400,000 UK accounts. Now it has had to admit that a file containing 15.2 million UK records was also attacked in the incident, in yet another example of companies mishandling data breaches.

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Ruth Jackson-Kirby

Ruth Jackson-Kirby is a freelance personal finance journalist with 17 years’ experience, writing about everything from savings accounts and credit cards to pensions, property and pet insurance.

Ruth started her career at MoneyWeek after graduating with an MA from the University of St Andrews, and she continues to contribute regular articles to our personal finance section. After leaving MoneyWeek she went on to become deputy editor of Moneywise before becoming a freelance journalist.

Ruth writes regularly for national publications including The Sunday Times, The Times, The Mail on Sunday and Good Housekeeping, among many other titles both online and offline.