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Police: Sony Hack Hits Home For Fairfield Resident

FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- The Sony computer hack, by a group of believed-to-be North Korean cyberterrorists, is affecting more than just top level move execs in Los Angeles and Tokyo and the release of "The Interview."

The Sony hack, which threatened a terror attack and led to the cancellation of the movie 'The Interview,' has also affected a former Sony employee who lives in Fairfield.

The Sony hack, which threatened a terror attack and led to the cancellation of the movie 'The Interview,' has also affected a former Sony employee who lives in Fairfield.

Photo Credit: File

A Fairfield resident went to police headquarters to report that her personal financial information -- including her Social Security number -- may have been compromised in the cyberattack, Fairfield Police said Tuesday.

The woman, a former Sony employee, told police she received notification of the breach from the multinational conglomerate on Dec. 16, police said.

Sony told the woman that her information was included in the list of hundreds of lower-level employees who had their Social Security numbers released to the public by the hacking group that goes by the name of “The Guardians of Peace,” Fairfield police said. 

“We have to assume there will be a lot of these reports,” Fairfield police Lt. James Perez said Tuesday. “It’s important that anyone who believes their personal financial information has been compromised to contact police.”

By contacting police and filing a formal report, residents can assure procedures have been followed that will allow them legal protections moving forward, Perez said.

According to Perez, it is extremely difficult to catch identity thieves. The Federal Trade Commission - responsible for investigating identity thefts - is able to catch, or clear, only one in every 700 cases of ID fraud, he said.

One of the biggest problems with identity theft is that “people become huge targets,” and more times than not “your ID may be compromised without your knowledge,” Perez said.

However, there are steps that you can take to make yourself a “smaller target,” he said.

For one, residents can opt-out of the services provided by Direct Marketing Association - the company responsible for sending "junk-mail" and credit card applications.

“People need to regularly check their credit score, especially during this time of year,” Perez said. By law, all three credit bureaus are required to give you one free credit score, an effective way to assure your personal financial information is safe, he said.

If you suspect your information has been compromised, the Federal Trade Commission will give you a credit freeze for 90 days, free of charge, Perez said. If you have become a victim, you are eligible for seven years of the service for free.

“If [residents] follow all the steps, they will become a small target,” Perez said. “It’s really all about getting off the grid.”

Fairfield police said residents can review their credit reports by following this link or by calling 1-877-8228. TransUnion, Equifax and Experian, the nation's three major credit bureaus, can be reached at their 1-800 numbers.

To join the do not call registry with the Federal Trade Commission, call 1-888-382-1222 or follow the link here. Separate registrations are required for mobile and home phones.

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