Identity Theft Alert: Veteran Data Theft
From:NavalReserveAssociation
Sent:Monday, June 05, 20062:33 PM
Subject: Naval Reserve Association Legislative Update 6/2/2006
Naval Reserve Association Legislative Update:June 2, 2006
1.Some Suggestions on Your Credit – due to Veterans Department Theft
2.House (HR 5122) and Senate (S 2766) – NDAA considerations
3.Pending FTS/Hardware unit Cuts
4.Write/e-mail Congress – TODAY!
Details:
1.VETERAN: Suggestions on Your Credit from Credit.Com. The following are some suggestions in response to VA Department data theft. Our Web page will also carry updates from Firstgov.gov.
Identity Theft Alert: Veteran Data Theft
By Credit.com
On May 23, the Veterans Affairs Department announced that an employee laptop containing 26.5 million veteran records was stolen. This computer contained sensitive records, including Social Security numbers, on all veterans who were discharged since 1975 and some of their spouses. Veteran medical and financial information was not included, but there may have been disability data on the laptop. More information about this crime is available at FirstGov.gov.
In past data theft cases, approximately 2% of the people who had their information stolen eventually faced actual identity theft crimes. In this case, 2% equals a whopping 520,000 veterans. Due to the extraordinary extent of this crime, it remains be to seen how many victims will emerge. No incidents of identity theft related to this crime have been reported yet but the data is a potential goldmine for identity thieves. It is possible that the stolen data will not be misused for weeks, months or even years. Veterans should take a few simple precautions now to protect their credit from identity theft crimes related to this data theft. Credit.com recommends the following five steps:
1. Place a fraud alert on your credit reports
Call one of the three national credit bureaus to have a 90-day fraud alert added to all three of your credit reports. This fraud alert notifies businesses that your identity may be compromised and could prevent new accounts from being opened in your name. You will also be sent a free copy of your credit report by mail when you place this fraud alert request:
1-800-525-6285
P.O. Box 740241
Atlanta, GA 30374 / Experian
1-888-EXPERIAN
P.O. Box 9532
Allen, TX 75013 / TransUnion
1-800-680-7289
Fraud Victim Assistance Dept.
P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA92834
2. Order your free credit reports
Credit.com recommends that you check your credit reports online while waiting for the mailed reports to arrive. There are two free ways to check your credit reports online. The first is through AnnualCreditReport.com, the credit bureau's free disclosure site as mandated by the Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act. Credit.com has instructions for using this site.
If you have already ordered your free credit report disclosures for the year, there is another way to obtain free credit reports. You can order a free credit report online from Experian and TransUnion if you suspect that you may be a victim of identity theft. Equifax will only send these identity theft disclosure reports by mail. Request your Equifax report by calling 800-685-1111.
3. Look for signs of theft
Once you have obtained your credit reports, review each file for signs of identity theft. Look for the following:
Address changes
Name changes
New unauthorized accounts
Usual balance or payment records
Inaccurate public records (liens, judgments, collections)
Unauthorized inquiries (applications for credit)
If you do spot signs of identity theft on your credit report, contact your creditors immediately to report the crime and reverse the charges. You should also file a police report and complete an identity theft affidavit with the Federal Trade Commission. Ask the credit bureaus to extend your 90-day alert to a 7-year fraud alert using your police report. The FTC has more instructions for resolving specific identity theft crimes.
4. Consider a file freeze
In some states, it is possible to "lock" your credit report data from all access. With this freeze, you will have to grant creditors specific permission to check your credit each time that you want to open a new account. These freezes can also impact insurance, job, apartment and cell phone applications as well as your ability to check your own credit reports online. A freeze is the best protection available against unauthorized use of your credit data, but be careful how you use this.
Security freezes are currently available to residents of California, Connecticut, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Texas, Vermont and Washington. Colorado, Kentucky and South Dakota will also allow file freezes after July 1, 2006. However, the costs and requirements for these freezes vary by state. Click here to review the complete requirements. If you qualify, contact the credit bureaus at the numbers listed in step 1 to request a file freeze.
5. Investigate the free offers
Credit and fraud monitoring services can be a great way to track your credit data and be alerted of suspicious changes. These services automatically scan your personal data and send you email alerts when items change.
Normally, these products range from about $10/month to $200/year. Several different companies are offering free or discounted services to veterans impacted by this data theft. Here are few of the offers available:
Equifax – 50% off the three varieties of credit monitoring programs offered by Equifax through June 30th.
Intersections – Six months of free Identity Guard Fraud Protection. A $4.95 processing fee applies.
Intelius – One free year of IDWatch for a discounted price of $19.95.
Have a question about identity theft or these instructions for veterans? Contact us or send an email to . We'd be glad to help.
2.House (HR 5122) and Senate (S 2766) FY-07 National Defense Authorization Act considerations. Congress will return next week from recess. The Senate may consider bringing their NDAA to the floor, however, the Supplemental Spending bill will take precedence, since the military needs the resources now. Conference on the two NDAA bills is not expected until after the August recess. A sample of the issues pending in both bills follow. You can view entire bills at look up HR 5122, or S 2766.
a.The Commission on the Guard and Reserve – extend commission by 6 months
b.Extension of bonus and special Pays – extends authority for SelRes reenlistment/enlistment/affiliation bonus, special pay for enlisted members in high priority units
c.Reserve callup authority. Extends to 365 days (vs 270) the period SELRES and IRR can be involuntarily called up.
d.Web-based family support programs. Urges other services to use technology and web based methods to create family support methods like Army’s Virtual Family Support Group.
e.Increase in Basic Pay. 2.7% increase in basic pay.
f.Additional Basic Allowances for Housing. Authorize additional BAH for certain reserve or retired members without dependents who are mobilized to location that is not their permanent residence.
g.Cold War victory medal. Require SECDEF to issue medal upon application to members who served honorably at least 180 days from 9-2-45 to 12-26-91.
h.Prohibition on increases in certain health care cost for members.This issue has been a battle, and is a conference item; we need members to let Congress know to stop any increases.
3.Pending FTS Cuts & Hardware Unit Cuts: As we reported last month, most of you will not be surprised to learn that more and deeper FTS cuts are on the way – FY 08 and FYDP. Additionally, the pending cuts call for AC and civilianization of FTS billets to occur in FY08 through FY12. No surprise under current climate and leadership. It is not too late to let Congress know about pending hardware unit cuts/disestablishments. They will respond the more you email, call and fax letters to them.
a.Civilianization of FTS billets to achieve at least - $335 to $365 million in savings, some civilian billets to be contracted out.
b.Areas affected or loss: Staffs, ‘new’ OperationalSupportCenters, BUMED, CNRFC, and Training commands, and Navy Air Reserve FTS.
c.All FTS areas are being reviewed for elimination, conversion to AC or civilian. (If you do nothing, billets gone.)
d.VFA-201 needs your help, as does the rest of the TACAIR, and pending VR cuts. The VP, HELO, Seabee cuts where done under the guise of integration & equipment needs – however, it appears that is was for budgetary purposes. Email your Congressional delegation now:
4.E-mail or write your opinions on these issues to your Senators and Congressman. The issues facing the Navy Reserve are huge – you need to be involved.
vFor your Senators: then select your state. Each Senator has a link to send them an e-mail; this is the most effective way to contact them at this time.
vFor your House of Representative members: then put in your zip code, and the link will take you to correct site.
See the below list of Congressional Members that work the issues important to you, and do not forget to contact the Appropriations committees.Please note that we have already visited some of these members and staff – and, are still visiting them – we need your support.
Senate Armed Services:Senate Armed Services – Personnel Subcom
Chair: John Warner Chair: Senator Lindsey Graham
Ranking Member: Carl Levin Ranking Member: Senator Ben Nelson (NE)
SR 228 Russell SR 228 Russell
Washington, DC20510-0650Washington, DC20510-0650
House Armed Services CommitteeHouse Armed Service – Military Personnel
Chair:Duncan Hunter (CA) Chair: John McHugh (NY)
Ranking Member:Ike Skelton, MO – Ranking Member: Vic Synder (AR)
2120 RayburnHouseOfficeBuilding 2120 RayburnHouseOfficeBuilding
Washington, DC20515 – ph- 202.225.4121Washington, DC20515
House Appropriations Committee – DefenseSenate Appropriations - Defense
Chair: Bill Young, FLChair: Ted Stevens
Ranking Member: John Murtha, PARanking Member: Daniel Inouye
Room H-149 The CapitolSD-119 Dirksen
Washington, DC20515Phone: 202.225.2847Washington, DC20510
Feel free to forward this e-mail. For those of you who receive this, and you are not already a member, please consider joining the Naval Reserve Association. Check us out at: call on our toll free number 866-672-4968.
Check out the RockyMountain Chapter of the Naval Reserve Association (RMNRA) at
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