WHAT TO DO
IF YOU ARE THE VICTIM OF A DATA BREACH
By Sharon McDowell
Most American consumers have enjoyed the convenience of using debit cards for sales transactions since the 1990s. With the introduction of chip technology in 2014, tap-and-go payments and digital wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay have made transactions easier.
But these conveniences also increase exposure of consumers’ personal information to data breaches.
According to Huntress. com, the number of data breach notifications has jumped by 211 percent between 2023 and 2024 and surpassed 1.3 billion in 2024. 1 Unfortunately, sooner or later, you might receive a data breach notification.
What is a data breach?— A data breach occurs when sensitive information— such as personal or financial data— is accessed by unauthorized parties or bad actors. 2
If you are notified by a company that a data breach compromised your confidential information, take quick action by following these steps.
# 1: Know what data was exposed Read the notification carefully to check what information was exposed. Often letters are sent out several months after the incident, so act fast to protect data that might be used by cyberthieves or end up on the dark web, including: a) Your full name b) Email addresses c) Your date of birth d) Biometric data or health information
12 CHURCH EXECUTIVE | NOV / DEC 2025