Data Breach
Steps You Should Take In The Aftermath
Within The First 24-48 Hours
1. Call your advisor, regardless of where or how the breach occurred, so he/she can watch for any suspicious activity in your accounts and collaborate with you on extra precautions to take in verifying your identity prior to any fund transfers.
2. Call the Social Security Administration’s fraud hotline at 800-269-0271 if you suspect your Social Security number has been compromised. The Office of the Inspector General will take your report and investigate activity using your Social Security number. The Social Security Administration also provides helpful materials, such as the pamphlet Identity Theft and Your Social Security Number.
3. Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), either at www.identitytheft.gov, by calling 1-877-IDTHEFT (TTY 1-866-653-4261), or by visiting www.ftc.gov. Click on Report Identity Theft to access the Identity Theft Recovery Steps. This one-stop resource for victims of identity theft will guide you through each step of the recovery process, from reporting the crime to creating a personal recovery plan and putting your plan to action.
4. Visit the IRS website https://www.irs.gov/uac/ taxpayer-guide-to-identity-theft if you’re the victim of tax fraud. You’ll be able to access the Taxpayer Guide to Identity Theft, which provides education on tax-related identity theft, tips to reduce your risk, and steps for victims to take.
5. Call either your advisor or your Schwab Alliance team at 800-515 2157 if you suspect you’re a victim of fraud. Schwab will escalate your matter to the Fraud Prevention & Investigations team to investigate your case and take necessary precautions to prevent further unauthorized debits.
6. Call either your advisor or your Schwab Alliance team at 800-515-2157 if you suspect you’re a victim of identity theft to discuss general identity theft questions or specific questions, such as how Schwab handles accounts of clients who’ve had their identity stolen or their account hacked.
7. If appropriate, close any compromised or unauthorized accounts. Alternatively, you may request a cloned account through Schwab Alliance. This allows an identical account to be opened, your assets moved, and the compromised account closed.
8. Run reputable anti-virus / anti-malware / anti-spyware software to clean your computer.
9. Once you’ve ensured your computer is virus/malware/spyware free, you should change passwords on your accounts. Make passwords unique, long, and strong, and use two-factor authentication when available.