COLES COUNTY, Ill. (WAND) – A scam looking to trick people into filing a fake data breach claim has surfaced in Coles County.
Deputies said the scam is sent as an email phishing attack. The email looks like it is from Equifax even though it isn’t, and tries to get the victim to file a claim on the website for a $125 payment. It claims the victim’s data was part of the 2017 Equifax breach.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, an Equifax data breach announced in September 2017 exposed personal information of 147 million people. As a result, Equifax settled globally with the FTC, all 50 U.S. states and territories, and the Financial Protection Bureau for $425 million.
Actual claims can be filed here, at the real FTC website. Once someone clicks on the “File a Claim” button, the website will check claim eligibility. More information about the breach is available on that page.
“Continue to be wary of unexpected email, regardless as to whether it is being sent to your city, county or personal email counts,” the Coles County Sheriff’s Office said on Facebook.
