We’ve all heard it, said it, and done it, “Call an UBER!”. The days of waiting for a taxi, or hailing a cab, have never been quite so “trendy”, as it is to call an Uber driver. Sounds most fitting, to have a personal car service arrive at one’s location, with the single speed dial of a number, HOWEVER, be careful before you click that button on your phone.
The colloquial German word “Uber”, is supposed to mean “superior”, and although the San Francisco, California based, global transportation, technology company, Uber Technologies, Inc., gives an impression of such high standard service, it has succumbed to huge problems lately and many legal disputes.
Operating in approximately 633 cities worldwide, Uber, is fastening its seat belts, as it prepares to face a collision course. The personal data of 57 million Uber account holders have been hacked. What makes the road even bumpier, is that Uber, reportedly paid $100,000 to hackers in 2016, for intrusions by cyber criminals, while at the same time, quietly hiding these data breaches from the public.
All this leaves loyal customers with valid concerns…….what to do next? Experts give urgent advice, in 4 simple directions:
- Change your passwords to new ones.
- Review all accounts especially checking and savings for fraudulent activity.
- Set up credit monitoring that alerts if anyone is using your personal details.
- Freeze credit if necessary.
Data breach is a serious problem, and this type of incident should not be taken lightly. If an account is hacked, it can lead to phishing operations as well as identity theft.
It is important that Uber customers, do not respond to fake notices, which request personal information such as social security information, banking details, dates of birth, driver’s license information, etc. Hackers will sell stolen indentity, so it is suggested that all Uber customers stay vigilant, take action, and opt for a different mode of transportation.
