Deadline approaching for free credit-monitoring service

As the deadline approaches for South Carolina residents to sign up for a free year of credit monitoring and identity theft protection, nearly two-thirds of those eligible have not signed up.

The deadline is March 31.

The ProtectMyID service from Experian, paid for by the state at a cost of $12 million, is being offered to anyone who filed a South Carolina tax return since 1998, because the state Department of Revenue computers were attacked by hackers last year and massive amounts of data were compromised.

Social Security, credit card and bank account numbers were among the information hackers may have accessed. The Experian service monitors credit reports and alerts people to changes and credit inquiries, among other things.

Of the 3.8 million individuals whose data was compromised, less than 1.4 million had signed up for ProtectMyID as of last week. The state says data for 1.9 million dependents, and 699,000 businesses, was also compromised.

To sign up for ProtectMyID by March 31, individuals should visit protectmyid.com/scdor and use the activation code SCDOR123, or call toll-free 866-578-5422.

Business owners can sign up for free credit monitoring services through either Dun & Bradstreet Credibility Corp. at dandb.com/sc or Experian’s Business Credit AdvantageSM at smartbusiness

reports.com/SouthCarolina.

Follow David Slade on Twitter @DSladeNews.