Police reports not needed for Equifax breach victims

Question: The Equifax website glitches out on people trying to check if their personal data was exposed in the breach. I finally got on to try to freeze my credit before anything bad happens. It said something about getting a police report that was confusing. … Calling didn’t help. The person on the phone couldn’t answer any questions and just directed me back to the website. So my question is, Do I really need a police report?

Answer: No, according to the Honolulu Police Department.

“The HPD Financial Crimes Detail says that potential victims do not need to file a police report. Only persons who have actually had someone else use their identity or open fraudulent accounts that are documented on the credit report should contact the police,” said Michelle Yu, an HPD spokeswoman.

Consumers who request a credit freeze through the Equifax website might see a note that says, “If you are the victim of ID theft and have a police report or other appropriate document as required by your state, please submit your request to Equifax in writing and provide Equifax with such police report or appropriate document so you will be eligible for any benefits associated with ID theft victims.”

However, that verbiage predates the massive data breach that compromised sensitive personal information of up to 143 million people. In the aftermath, the credit-reporting company has waived fees for all consumers who seek credit freezes, until Nov. 21 (previously, fees were waived only for some consumers, including those who provided police reports).

The process can be completed online, not only by mail. Go to 808ne.ws/equifrz if you are interested. A credit freeze, also known as a security freeze, restricts access to your credit report, making it harder for thieves to open accounts in your name.

You and many others complained about Equifax’s response in the wake of the disclosure, with the company’s phone lines and website jammed, and inconsistent information provided. The company said Friday that it had corrected many problems but that it “continues to work on technical difficulties related to the high volume of security freeze requests.”

Q: I took a wrong turn in Kaimuki and ended up driving past 3640 Crater Road. It appeared to be a round amphitheaterlike structure built out of lava rock and concrete with many of the rocks falling off. The circular open-roofed “theater” was steel-cage locked and appeared to have some roughly hewn benches and tables inside. You have any information on this?

A: Yes. That’s the old Kaimuki Reservoir, built in 1898 so the neighborhood of Kaimuki could be developed. Once abandoned, it was taken up 100 years ago as the home of Troop 10 of the Aloha Council, Boy Scouts of America, which uses it to this day.

The Historic Hawai‘i Foundation describes “The Bowl” as the oldest and only known existing example in Hawaii of reservoir construction of its type. The circular structure has an interior diameter of about 40 feet. The interior walls are about 14 feet high and lined with concrete, while the exterior walls are made of battered lava rock.

Defunct as a water system after about 10 years, the location caught the eye of Charles Crane, a Honolulu newspaperman who later went into politics. He served as Troop 10’s first scoutmaster and arranged for the troop to use the site from its founding on March 7, 1917.

“The old reservoir is in good hands as the Scouts meet there weekly and are charged to maintain and keep the area looking clean and tidy,” said Jeff Sulzbach, scout executive and CEO of the Aloha Council, Boy Scouts of America.

Troop 10 is chartered by the Kaimuki Lions Club, District 50, which also meets at this address.

Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.