Digital Security 101

Government agencies can legally require your SSN under federal law. Private companies can request it, but unless a law applies, you can refuse.

Signs of SSN misuse can be hard to spot. Look for data breach alerts, unexpected earnings on your Social Security statement, and credit report errors.

The simplest way is to set a SIM PIN, enable number transfer protection with your carrier, and use an authenticator app instead of SMS for 2FA.

Coinbase is considered safe due to strong technical and regulatory protections, but user-side risks like password reuse remain outside its control.

Credit Karma offers "free" credit monitoring and personal financial tools to millions of Americans — but it's not the only (or best) option available.

As soon as you know your personal data is compromised, change your passwords, enable 2FA, freeze your credit, and monitor your accounts for fraud.