Protect you computer and your data


What Every Veteran Should Know About Identity Theft

Over 26.5 million veterans foundinformation they should go many steps
themselves at risk for identity theft infurther to protect their information,
2006 when a federal employee's lap toptheir benefits and the benefits for
computer, containing important personaltheir family. Be sure to install virus
information such as name, date of birth,and anti spyware to protect information
address and social security number, ascontained on your computer. Do not
well as benefits eligibility. Anotherconduct personal or financial business
16,000 veterans were at risk when aat work, as it puts you at risk of being
government contractor's lap top computeroverheard. You may not be as protected
was stolen from his home. It is a commonby the business computer security system
practice for the VA to contract outas you think you are. Consider placing a
certain jobs such as software support"credit freeze" on your credit
and insurance billing and claimsinformation. This requires the three
resolution to a subcontractor. Accordingmajor credit agencies to contact you to
to a statement issued by the Veterans"lift" the freeze before making any
Administration this is done in order tochanges to or issuing any new credit in
provide better customer service. Butyour name. You may take steps yourself
what happens when this "customer serviceto perform the credit freeze or you may
puts the customer at risk of identityuse a service such as Trusted ID. In the
theft and false claims for benefits? Inevent your credit, personal, financial
this the most recent incident, of aor benefits information appears to be at
contractor, the contracting company,risk or "stolen" you should do the
Unisys Corporation offered free creditfollowing: dispute the information on
reports to those affected. However, freeyour credit report and ask the three
annual credit reports are alreadymajor credit reporting agencies of
available through the Fair CreditTransUnion, Experian and Equifax to
Reporting Act. The Veteran'splace a fraud flag on your credit file.
Administration also claimed that itContact the credit lenders and advise
works closely with contractors inthem of the situation as stated on your
developing the "highest standards" ofcredit report. Placing a fraud alert
protection and security. However, itinsures that additional steps are taken
does not designate what systems are inbefore new accounts or changes to
place to protect a veteran'sexisting account in your name can occur.
information. The federal employee whoAlthough everyone should review their
took home veterans information on aSocial Security Benefit information to
laptop computer was required to undergodetermine if their benefits have been
computer security and regulationsillegally used, veterans in particular
training. Thousands of people were orshould review both the Social Security
may have been affected by this lack ofBenefits statement as well as their
stringent rules regarding the protectionVeterans Benefits eligibility. To order
of their information. And the optionsa Social Security Benefits report,
available to them after the informationcontact the Social Security
may have been released were notAdministration office. The first step
comforting. They were advised to obtainfor protecting veteran's information is
their free credit report, monitor it (atfor government agencies and contractors
an additional charge to the veteran) andto take those efforts necessary to
then to report to local law enforcementprotect this information. The next step
authorities any problems with theiris for veteran's to do all that they can
credit or instances of identity theft.to keep their information private.
Veteran's circumstances and the effectsHowever, in the event these efforts are
of identity theft are unique. Manynot effective veterans much report and
veterans are recipients of additionaldispute false or incorrect information
benefits such as education and medicalon their credit report or other service
that most people are not. Their childrenreports. It is necessary after reporting
may also be eligible for specificto the local law enforcement to contact
benefits, either monetary, educational,the Veteran's Administration office as
home buying or medical. This makeswell as your State's Attorney General's
identity theft, an already seriousoffice and The Federal Trade Commission
problem, even more complicated.by calling 1-877-IDTHEFT
Veteran's whether they feel their(1-877-438-4338).
information is at risk or not should beLisa Carey is a contributing author for
extra vigilant. In addition to takingIdentity Theft Secrets: prevention and
many of the steps to protect theirprotection.
personal, financial, and medical



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