Information Channel

September 17, 2017

The Credit Hack and Your Privacy

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A recent hacking attack reportedly exposed over 140 million credit files of Americans. How serious was the data breech, and how can you protect yourself against identity theft? Then, a former FBI defense tactics instructor explains the steps women can take to avoid becoming a criminal target.

Episode Segments

The Equifax Hack

In perhaps the most egregious security breach to date, credit files of up to 143 million Americans were recently hacked from the credit reporting agency Equifax. Beth Givens, Founder and Executive Director of the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, a nonprofit consumer education and advocacy organization explained the seriousness of the incident, how consumers can learn if their data was included and what steps to take to try to defend against identity theft and other forms of fraud.

Self Defense for Women

Each year, a disturbing number of women are victims of a crime or assault. Steve Kardian, former FBI defense tactics instructor, author of The New Superpower for Women: Trust Your Intuition, Predict Dangerous Situations, and Defend Yourself from the Unthinkable explained the steps women should take to become a “hard target” in the eyes of criminals. He explained the importance of a woman following her intuition and being proactive in identifying potential trouble.

Later School Starts

Wendy M. Troxel, PhD, Senior Behavioral and Social Scientist at the RAND Corporation, Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh led a state-by-state analysis of the economic implications of a shift in school start times in the US. She found that a nationwide move to 8.30 a.m. could contribute $83 billion to the U.S. economy within a decade. She said the economic gains would be realized through higher academic and professional performance of students, and reduced car crash rates among adolescents.

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