Answer: Yes, your personal information has likely been compromised.

With the recent news of the massive Yahoo breach (500 million people), NYTimes created this interactive so an individual can see how often they are likely to have been hacked and their personal information that is out there on the dark web. Your students will select the websites that they have accounts on and discover what personal information has been exposed to hackers.

Good reminder for students about the importance of 1) protecting your information 2) checking your credit report regularly to ensure no new accounts are being set up in your name (I prefer the freeze myself).  The simulation includes some good tips on both of these points. Enjoy!

Here’s the graphic:

About the Author

Tim Ranzetta

Tim's saving habits started at seven when a neighbor with a broken hip gave him a dog walking job. Her recovery, which took almost a year, resulted in Tim getting to know the bank tellers quite well (and accumulating a savings account balance of over $300!). His recent entrepreneurial adventures have included driving a shredding truck, analyzing executive compensation packages for Fortune 500 companies and helping families make better college financing decisions. After volunteering in 2010 to create and teach a personal finance program at Eastside College Prep in East Palo Alto, Tim saw firsthand the impact of an engaging and activity-based curriculum, which inspired him to start a new non-profit, Next Gen Personal Finance.

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