Important Info For All Veterans!

C

Capt. Charlie

Moderator Emeritus
I received this from my veteran's group, the USS Manley Assoc. It was relayed to me from the VA and contains important information concerning the recent theft of veteran's personal information. All veterans from Viet Nam to present are affected, and all should read this.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has recently learned that an employee, a data analyst, took home electronic data from the VA, which he was not authorized to do. This behavior was in violation of VA policies. This data contained identifying information including names, social security numbers, and dates of birth for up to 26.5 million veterans and some spouses, as well as some disability ratings. Importantly, the affected data did not include any of VA's electronic health records nor any financial information. The employee's home was burglarized and this data was stolen. The employee has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation.

Appropriate law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and the VA Inspector General's office, have launched full-scale investigations into this matter. Authorities believe it is unlikely the perpetrators targeted the items because of any knowledge of the data contents. It is possible that they remain unaware of the information which they possess or of how to make use of it. However, out of an abundance of caution, the VA is taking all possible steps to protect and inform our veterans.

The VA is working with members of Congress, the news media, veterans service organizations, and other government agencies to help ensure that veterans and their families are aware of the situation and of the steps they may take to protect themselves from misuse of their personal information. The VA will send out individual notification letters to veterans to every extent possible.

Additionally, working with other government agencies, the VA has set up a
manned call center that veterans may call to get information about this
situation and learn more about consumer identity protections. That toll free
number is 1-800-FED INFO (1-800-333-4636). The call center will operate from 8 am to 9 pm (EDT), Monday-Saturday as long as it is needed.

Here are some questions you may have about this incident, and their answers.

I'm a veteran. How can I tell if my information was compromised?
=========================
At this point there is no evidence that any missing data has been used
illegally. However, the Department of Veterans Affairs is asking all veterans
to be extra vigilant and to carefully monitor bank statements, credit card
statements and any statements relating to recent financial transactions. If you notice unusual or suspicious activity, you should report it immediately to the financial institution involved and contact the Federal Trade Commission for further guidance.

What is the earliest date at which suspicious activity might have occurred due to this data breach?
=========================
The information was stolen from an employee of the Department of Veterans
Affairs during the month of May 2006. If the data has been misused or otherwise used to commit fraud or identity theft crimes, it is likely that veterans may notice suspicious activity during the month of May.

I haven't noticed any suspicious activity in my financial statements, but what
can I do to protect myself and prevent being victimized by credit card fraud or identity theft?
=========================
The Department of Veterans Affairs strongly recommends that veterans closely monitor their financial statements and visit the Department of Veterans Affairs special website on this, www.firstgov.gov or call 1-800-FED-INFO (1-800-333- 4636).

Should I reach out to my financial institutions or will the Department of
Veterans Affairs do this for me?
=========================
The Department of Veterans Affairs does not believe that it is necessary to
contact financial institutions or cancel credit cards and bank accounts, unless you detect suspicious activity.

Where should I report suspicious or unusual activity?
=========================
The Federal Trade Commission recommends the following four steps if you detect suspicious activity:

Step 1 - Contact the fraud department of one of the three major credit bureaus:

o Equifax: 1-800-525-6285; www.equifax.com; P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374- 0241

o Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742); www.experian.com; P.O. Box 9532, Allen, Texas 75013

o TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289; www.transunion.com; Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834-6790

Step 2 - Close any accounts that have been tampered with or opened
fraudulently.

Step 3 - File a police report with your local police or the police in the
community where the identity theft took place.

Step 4 - File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission by using the FTC's Identity Theft Hotline by telephone: 1-877-438-4338, online at
www.consumer.gov/idtheft, or by mail at Identity Theft Clearinghouse, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington DC 20580.

I know the Department of Veterans Affairs maintains my health records
electronically; was this information also compromised?
=========================
No electronic medical records were compromised. The data lost is primarily
limited to an individual's name, date of birth, social security number, in some
cases their spouse's information, as well as some disability ratings. However,
this information could still be of potential use to identity thieves and we
recommend that all veterans be extra vigilant in monitoring for signs of
potential identity theft or misuse of this information.

What is the Department of Veterans Affairs doing to insure that this does not
happen again?
=========================
The Department of Veterans Affairs is working with the President's Identity
Theft Task Force, the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission to investigate this data breach and to develop safeguards against similar incidents. The Department of Veterans Affairs has directed all VA employees complete the "VA Cyber Security Awareness Training Course" and complete the separate "General Employee Privacy Awareness Course" by June 30, 2006. In addition, the Department of Veterans Affairs will immediately be conducting an inventory and review of all current positions requiring access to sensitive VA data and require all employees requiring access to sensitive VA data to undergo an updated National Agency Check and Inquiries (NACI) and/or a Minimum Background Investigation (MBI) depending on the level of access required by the responsibilities associated with their position. Appropriate law enforcement agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs, have launched full-scale investigations into this matter.

Where can I get further, up-to-date information?
=========================
The Department of Veterans Affairs has set up a special website and a toll-free telephone number for veterans that features up-to-date news and information. Please visit www.firstgov.gov or call 1-800-FED-INFO (1-800-333-4636).
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thanks for the info...I read it in the news but the VA hasnt notified me yet.

what was that guy thinking?

wait a minute he wasnt thinking
 
Thanks for the post. I haven't been contacted as yet. :confused: Does this info apply only to those vets who have made a claim with the VA, or all vets? My only contact with the VA was the use of the GI bill for school...
 
Stevekolt

Does this info apply only to those vets who have made a claim with the VA, or all vets?
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My understanding is, all vets from 1969/70 on (that period where the military switched from the old serial numbers to social security numbers), are affected.
 
It's all spooky stuff, but the truth is that somebody somewhere sometime is going to put your private info on the street. You can try to be as careful as possible, shred everything etc etc - but some idiot is going to make an error, or worse yet do this to you intentionally. It's probably just a matter of time. All you can do is put your counter-measures in place. My suggestion is the Identity Theft Shield service detailed on my website below. Credit score, credit report, continuous monitoring, AND when/if your identity gets compromised you sign a limited power of attorney and they fix it! No need for all those calls and lettters and follow-ups and worry. $12.95 a month. Check the site for details.
Forgive the blatant solicitation. I thought it was info you might use in light of this situation.
 
the military switched from the old serial numbers to social security numbers
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Leave it to the military to fix something that ain't broken. Think about what a bonehead move that was. Someone wants to write a letter to their loved one and needs to put his/her Social Security Number on the envelope for the whole world to see!

The employee has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation.
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Back on topic. I hope this person is fired ASAP but knowing the VA, they'll just be moved to another department. BTW, I read that the VA knew about the theft for weeks before they made it public. They probably would have tried to cover it up if they thought they could get away with it.
 
Update on VA data thefts

Data on 50,000 active-duty vets was included in theft.

Personal information on up to 50,000 Navy and National Guard personal was among that stolen from a Veterans Affairs employee last month, the government said Saturday in a disclosure that goes beyond what VA initially said.

This thing just keeps getting bigger and bigger.

VA Secretary Jim Nicholson said he was "mad as hell" that employees did not notify him about the May 3rd burglary until May 16. Since then, the VA has fired the data analyst who lost the data, and his boss, VA deputy assistant secretary Micheal McLendon, has stepped down.

The department has also placed Dennis Duffy, the acting head of the division in which the data analyst worked, on administrative leave.

If VA Secretary Jim Nicholson is "mad as hell" how must the veterans involved feel? I'd like to know what was all that "classified" information doing on one laptop computer? I'm wondering if criminal charges are in order here.

I don't know if I stand to be at risk because I was discharged in 1967 but I am 100% Service Connected disabled so I do have a active file at the VA. My son on the other hand was discharged in 1995 and he too has a service connected disability so he is indeed at risk.

This could be FUBAR for millions of veterans and their family all because of one careless individual. Yep, I'm thinking crimial charges should apply for sure in this case. What do you think Capt. Charlie?

riverrat66...out
 
I knew a guy that was a victim of identity theft, it was a nightmare for years, including twice having his house surrounded by LEOs in the middle of the night, "Come out with your hands up", and time in jail until it could be proven that he was the real HIM. Not a good thing to happen.
This person should be brought up on some serious criminal charges, but knowing the guvment he will probably be promoted and moved to another department.
Those guvment records seem to be slippery don't they? All of them..
(U.S. Army 1963-1972, Honorable Discharge, GI Bill, I'm in the group.)
 
What was the name of the employee that brought the records home. This seems to be a state secret. The government does not seem to mind trying Marines in the media, but they are protecting this moron. Whats the deal.
 
At LEAST get a free credit report...

If you do nothing else, at least get the free credit report(s) you're entitled to...(based on the FCRA and FACT Acts)

More info on this from the FTC here

As referenced from the FTC site, the three main credit reporting companies (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion) came together and built this site as a clearinghouse for these free reports (probably so they wouldn't have to advertise them on their own sites...it's very hard to find them that way).

https://www.annualcreditreport.com

You do NOT have to use this site to get your report, however...from the FTC site:
To order, visit annualcreditreport.com, call 1-877-322-8228, or complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form and mail it to: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. The form is on the back of this brochure; or you can print it from ftc.gov/credit.
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DO NOT USE ANY OTHER FREE CREDIT REPORTING SITES! Sorry for shouting, but it had to be done. There are a ton of scam sites, trial sites, etc for all sorts of credit watch services that will give you a free credit report, then sign you up (now that they have all of your personal information) for ongoing services.

If you've never seen your own credit report, I urge you to do this today or tomorrow. It is an eye opening experience to see just how many companies are interested in your financial situation...

IMHO, the best we can hope for is this leakage, along with the inevitable leakages to follow, gradually dilute the SSN to having no more value, from a privacy perspective, than your current phone number. I think it is the natural conclusion, as I don't believe there is any way to 'fix' the SSN as it stands today...it's far too expensive and there aren't enough unique SSN's available to really make the rest worth salvaging.
 
What was the name of the employee that brought the records home
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Year right! If they revealed his identity he'd have to enter the Federal Witness Protection Program. Do you realize how many people would like to tar and feather this person? Me being one of them!

Man, would that make my day! Of course I know some other nasty little tricks I remember from my days "in country" but I can't tell you cause then I'd have to kill you! ;)

riverrat66...out
 
I received a letter about this from Uncle Sugar today. I haven't read it yet, but I assume that most who will potentially be affected will receive the same letter. I do also, however, find it pretty amazing that it was so easy to locate me as I have not been in touch with the government (other than the normal IRS, etc. obligations) for quite a number of years, and have moved around a lot since my time in the military.

Best,
S
 
glock19xdsc are you separated or are you in a reserve component? I used to get an annual 'we still love you and want you to know you're still part of out team' letter until I separated from the reserves but I haven't heard from them for over a decade.

Shouldn't be hard to find me as I'm the only one with my name, SSN and birthday in the US...except for five or six hundred assorted thugs. Thanks VA!
 
Thanks for the link jcims

I also noticed this...

You have a right to place a "security alert" in your credit file. This notice alerts a recipient of a consumer report involving your credit file that your identity may have been used without your consent to fraudulently obtain goods or services in the your name. Placement or removal of a security alert may be requested by calling xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, you may send a written request to xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. With your request, you may include a daytime and evening telephone number so a person who receives a copy of your credit report can verify your identity before approving a transaction.

You have a right to place a "security freeze" on your credit file. This notice prohibits a consumer reporting agency (subject to certain exceptions listed below) from releasing a consumer report relating to the extension of credit involving your credit file without your express authorization. A security freeze must be requested in writing by certified mail and include proper identification and a copy of a valid police report, investigative report, or complaint made under Section 32.51, Penal Code. The security freeze is designed to prevent credit, loans, and services from being approved in your name without your consent. However, you should be aware that using a security freeze to take control over who gets access to the personal and financial information in your credit report may delay, interfere with, or prohibit the timely approval of any subsequent request or application you make regarding a new loan, credit, mortgage, insurance, government services or payments, rental housing, employment, investment, llicense, cellular phone, utilities, digital signature, Internet credit card transaction, or other services, including an extension of credit at point of sale. When you place a security freeze on your credit report, the consumer credit reporting agency will send to you, within not more than ten business days after it receives your request, a personal identification number to use if you choose to remove the freeze on your credit file or authorize the release of your credit report for a certain properly designated period; or for a certain properly identified requester. To provide authorization for temporarily lifting the security freeze you must contact the consumer credit reporting agency and provide all of the following:
 
For what it might be worth, I understand that the VA "analyst" who carried stuff home has since been fired.

As to what, if any additional action might be taken against this individual, and others who are culpable, who knows.

Seems to me that this fiasco is another strong argument AGAINST the indiscriminate use of Social Security Numbers, bureaucratic convenience be damned.
 
Inactive reserve ended in 1989.
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Ok, then why do I have a reserve id card and had to sign the IRR paperwork when I got out last year from active duty? Something I am missing?

Also I had my Tricare record along with about every other ACtive, Retired, Reserve member and thier dependent that are enrolled in Tricare in the midwest stolen a few years ago and it took them 6 months before I got a letter saying that my records and my families information was among that which was stolen. Still waiting on the VA to reply to my letter asking about the latest security breech. Also saw a report on CNN that explained further that even some KOREAN war vets data was included. Also, I use the truecredit site that is part of Transunion (1 of the 3 major credit agencies) and I have been watching my credit since and getting updated monthly reports and weekly alerts through their service. I would suggest that all vets that are affected do the same or similiar to protect ourselves. Obviously the VA and govt' aren't looking out for us. :mad:
 
I got the letter myself last wed. If there was any justice, the jackass who got the discs stolen would have his information on it too. He should go into witness protection if his name comes out because it doesn't do well to piss off 20 million people with firearms training.
 
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