The BEEN BREACHED CHECKLIST (what to do next):

1. First step - Identify what exactly was compromised. You can't protect what you don't know was potentially breached. (email, passwords, phone #'s, social security #'s)

2. Second step - Of those accounts breached, update those passwords or close those accounts that you aren't using any longer. Stop using simple passwords like your pet name and # after it, or your child's name, etc. Use complex passwords. Consider leveraging the complex password generators/managers on my site.

3. Enable 2FA - Two factor authentication is crucial for email, banking, social media accounts. If a perpetrator has your information, the 2FA will notify you on your phone if that perpetrator is trying to log into those accounts. Many use SMS over app based authentication (Google authenticator, etc.); use what you are comfortable in setting up.

4. On some of your accounts, look for 'login alerts'. Something that can "t" you up in case someone gets in that you know, it's not you. If you have parents who are elderly, this is also a must as you can monitor if anyone other than them has possibly logged into a personal account.

5. If you've been breached, expect more phishing scams, the messaging and inquiry are not coincidental. Be wary of the calls and emails pretending to be from a breached service. Consider purchasing my book "Mind Games: Phishing Scams with a Psychological Twist" to learn more about this genre.

6. Credential stuffing - If you've been breached and passwords were transparent and not hashed, perpetrators will try that password on many of your known accounts. Don't recycle the passwords, and many have passwords uniform across many sites, CHANGE THEM!

7. If email was involved, change the password IMMEDIATELY. Your email is a conduit to resetting other services and accounts.

8. If sensitive data was compromised such as financial details or SS#'s, immediately tell yourself I could be victim of identity theft. You can freeze or monitor your credit through Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. My book also goes over this.

9. As aforementioned, don't recycle passwords, use stronger/complex passwords, remove accounts that have been dormant.

10. Stay locked into www.secureyourcircle.com for tools, resources, advice; I typically update and share information from the FTC, FBI and any other reputable news source.

11. Lastly, there are a variety of tools on my site - VPN's, Anti-virus software, password managers, and much more. It's very much a one-stop shop where I add more items monthly.

Hope this helps! Protect yourselves people. None of us are immune.