Any Iowan who has a credit card was likely startled by the weekend report of hackers gaining access to as many as 40-million customer names and credit card numbers. Now, officials say 200-thousand names and numbers were at “high risk.” Ben Hildebrandt, spokesman for the Iowa Bankers Association, says consumers should take action to protect themselves. At least once a year, Hildebrandt says to get a credit report from either of the three reporting credit bureaus via “www.annualcreditreport.com” where the reports are free once a year and they’re accurate. You can also call toll-free to order the same information at 877-322-8228. Hildebrant says anyone who has a credit card should pay very close attention to every charge on their bills. Make sure there are no odd charges and call the credit card company right away if you have a suspicion. Also, if you have a few credit cards in your purse or wallet that you rarely use, Hildebrandt says to consider canceling them. The security breach was traced to a transaction processing company that handles MasterCard, Visa and other credit cards.
