If you’ve hesitated to find out whether you’re impacted by the Equifax security breach, the Cuyahoga County Department of Consumer Affairs understands.

Early on, Equifax’s security site and breach hotlines had problems, including long delays and some troublesome terms, that put consumers off.

But if you don’t know yet if your files were accessed by hackers, it’s time to find out.

Unfortunately, the burden of protecting ourselves in the wake of a breach falls to the victims. It’s not fair. But if your info is in the hands of hackers, failing to act can create even bigger headaches later.

The Cuyahoga County Department of Consumer Affairs recommends consumers place security freezes on their credit reports at all three credit bureaus.

The good news for procrastinators is that, now that the initial rush is past, you’re less likely to experience long wait times.

Another reason to act now: Equifax says it’s giving consumers free credit freezes, but the deadline for requesting one is Nov. 21. Don’t wait for the next rush.

The Department of Consumer Affairs has prepared an FAQ to help Cuyahoga County consumers navigate the process.