After Equifax breach, a bank pushes credit file freezes

Portland, Oregon

IN THE months since Equifax allowed the Social Security numbers of 145 million Americans to fall into the hands of thieves, the company has apologised, consumers have expressed rage and politicians have lashed the company at public hearings in Washington.

The banks and other financial institutions that buy our personal data from Equifax and its two competitors, Experian and TransUnion, however, have not had much to say on the matter.

That all changed here Friday as Umpqua Bank, with about 300 branches in fiv…