What to do if your social security number was stolen in the massive Equifax hack

Credit reporting agency Equifax said Thursday that hackers have breached personal information belonging to 143 million Americans.

That means that roughly 44 percent of the country's population may have had their social security, credit card, or driver's license number compromised along with various other pieces of identifying data.

Equifax is asking its customers to visit a special website (equifaxsecurity2017.com) it set up to determine whether you might have been affected by the cyberattack. Of course, that website also asks you to enter part of your social security number as well. The firm has also set up a call center (866-447-7559) that's open from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. ET to answer any questions, though based on initial reports, it doesn't sound like that has been particularly helpful.

The impact isn't limited to Equifax customers. If you've ever applied for a loan, mortgage, or credit card, Equifax may have your information stored as well.

Your social security number is perhaps the most sensitive piece of data that can be compromised. Paired with other basic identifying information, it allows someone to apply for government benefits, take out a loan or credit card, open a bank account, file a tax return, or get healthcare in your name. It can even be used to steal money or property.

If you find out your social security number may have been stolen, here's what you need to do.

• Your first step should be to notify each of the three major credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion), which will then provide you with a free copy of your current credit report.

• Place a credit freeze or fraud alert with at least one of these agencies.

• Next, file with relevant government bodies like the Internal Revenue Service, the Federal Trade Commission, and your local police department.

• Consumer guides also advise to keep a close eye on all credit reports, benefits statements, bank balances, and social security earnings statements for suspicious activity.

• Make sure you store your social security card in a safe place (not your wallet) and shred unnecessary documents with sensitive information.

Beyond those initial steps, one recourse is to enroll in an identity protection service. Equifax is now offering its own "TrustedID Premier" program for free for a year regardless of whether or not your information may have been hacked. That service will monitor whether your information is used to open new credit accounts or your social security number appears on suspicious websites and insure you against some of the potential damage of identity theft.

Some experts see this as a brazen sales ploy on Equifax's part to hook new customers into the service. Identity protection firms typically offer a free trial period anyway before plying you with premium add-ons.

If you've understandably lost trust in Equifax's ability to secure your data, there are other identity protection services you can try as well.

Typically, these companies fall into one of two categories: credit monitoring, which tracks suspicious activity across the three major credit reporting agencies, and identity monitoring, which scans for instances in which your bank account or social security number is being used for purposes that don't appear on your credit report, including payday loans, social media, and court records.

There are also a number of identity theft insurance agencies and identity recovery firms in the case that you find you have been a victim of identity theft. You can read more about what services are best for you on the FTC's website.

In extreme cases in which a social security theft has caused years worth of trouble, you may consider applying for a new number entirely.

In that case, the government requires that you show that the theft caused you grave hardship in the form of lost home mortgages, law enforcement problems, bad credit, or other serious consequences. You'll also have to rebuild your credit history under your new number, which could complicate loans and other financial arrangements.

Whether or not you're able to get a card is entirely at the discretion of the Social Security Administration.