Q: Regarding the recent Equifax hacks, if someone’s credit file had been frozen at the time of the hack, could that data have been breached as well? Is a frozen credit report just as susceptible as one that is not frozen?
—Chris Louis, Woodstock
A: Equifax reported that its credit file data was not among the hacked information, so frozen credit files would not have been compromised during the breach, John Ulzheimer, a credit expert who has previously worked for both Equifax and FICO, told Q&A on the News.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, only your existing creditors or debt collectors—as well as certain government agencies using a subpoena or search warrant—should be able to access your credit information once it has been frozen. As a result, frozen files are generally less susceptible to identity thieves. While credit freezes make it difficult for identity thieves to open new accounts in your name, the FTC says a freeze does not prevent thieves from making charges to your existing accounts.
Q: Were any tourists staying in Houston hotels evacuated during Hurricane Harvey? How were these guests taken care of?
—Mary Just, Lawrenceville
A: Airport closings left a number of visitors to the Houston area stranded in their hotels during the storm, according to the Washington Post. However, only a few of these hotels had to be evacuated, Carolyn Campbell, communications director for the Houston First Corp., a local government corporation that promotes Houston tourism, told Q&A on the News.
Campbell said tourists are often relocated to other hotels during natural disasters. Many local hotels offered discounts for residents or visitors fleeing the storm.
Fast Copy News Service wrote this column; Dillon Thompson contributed. Do you have a question? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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