The Geneva Police Department’s Crime Prevention Team is offering several identity protection tips in the wake of a national credit reporting agency security breach earlier this month.

The Equifax data theft compromised personal information from about 143 million Americans, nearly half the country’s population, thereby exposing them to potential identity theft.

Here are steps people can take as a result of this hack:

•    Visit Equifax’s website at www.equifaxsecurity2017.com to determine who has been impacted;

•    Regardless who has been affected, people should check their credit to see if anyone has attempted to open an account using their personal information;

•    Residents can contact the Geneva Police Department to file a report if they have become a victim of identity theft; and

•    People should consider third-party services that offer identity theft protection (the Geneva Police Department cannot endorse any specific company.)

Other options, such as requesting a watch or freeze on credit reports, can be completed through each of the four credit reporting agencies, Equifax, Trans Union, Experian and Innovis.

For more information about the Police Department’s crime prevention efforts, visit the City’s website or call 630-232-4736.