Press release to follow:
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, May 22, 2006 - Veterans Affairs officials today announced the theft of personal information on up to 26.5 million veterans. However, VA Secretary R. James Nicholson stressed there's no indication the information is being used for purposes of fraud.
"We at the VA have recently learned that an employee here, a data analyst, took home a considerable amount of electronic data from the VA, which he was not authorized to do," Nicholson said. "His home was burglarized, and this data was stolen."
The compromised data includes names, Social Security numbers and birthdates of veterans separating from the military since 1975, he said. The information also may have included data on veterans who separated before 1975 but who submitted a claim for VA benefits.
No medical or financial information was compromised, though the files might have contained numeric disability ratings in some cases, Nicholson added. A statement issued by the department indicated that spousal information also might have been compromised in some cases.
"There is no indication & that any use is being made of this data or even that (the thieves) know they have it," Nicholson said.
Exercising what the secretary called "an abundance of caution," the department is working through a number of channels, including the news media, to make veterans aware of the situation. Individual notification letters also will be mailed to veterans.
The department is providing more information through the www.firstgov.gov Web site and call centers that can be reached at (800) 333-4636. The call centers, which will be active today, will be able to handle more than 250,000 calls a day.
"The most important priority that I have right now is to get the word out to our veterans and get them alerted and aware of this possibility," Nicholson said.
The department also is encouraging veterans to watch their financial accounts carefully for any signs of fraud or identity theft. If suspicious activity is detected, veterans should contact the fraud department of one of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian or TransUnion.
Nichols said the Federal Trade Commission has alerted credit bureaus of a potential increase in requests for fraud alerts and for requests for credit reports.
Any accounts that have been tampered with or opened fraudulently should be closed, and the veteran should file a report with local police or the police in the community where the identity theft took place. Those who suspect identity theft also are encouraged to contact the Federal Trade Commission via its identity-theft hotline at (877) 438-4338, or through its Web site.
There is no indication when the career employee removed the information from his office, but the data was stolen when his home was burglarized sometime this month, Nicholson said. He declined to identify the employee or where he lives but said law enforcement officials reported several burglaries in the area and they do not believe the stolen information was targeted.
"The employee has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of (a full-scale) investigation," Nicholson said. All appropriate law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and the Veterans Affairs Department's Inspector General are participating in the investigation.
Members of the President's Identity Theft Task Force will meet today to coordinate a comprehensive response, recommend ways to further protect affected veterans, and increase safeguards to prevent the reoccurrence of such incidents, Nicholson said. VA officials also moved up the date by which all department employees must complete the "VA Cyber Security Awareness Training Course" and the "General Employee Privacy Awareness Course." Both must be completed by June 30.
Additionally, Veterans Affairs will immediately begin conducting a review of all current positions requiring access to sensitive information. All employees requiring access to such data will undergo updated law enforcement and background checks.
Biography:
R. James Nicholson [ http://www1.va.gov/opa/bios/biography.asp?id=29 ]
Related Sites:
Department of Veterans Affairs [ http://www.va.gov/ ]
Federal Trade Commission Identity Theft Resource [ http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/ ]
_______________________________________________________
NOTE: View the original version of this web page on DefenseLINK,
the official website of the U.S. Department of Defense, at
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/May2006 ... _5197.html.
VA Theft of information
Moderator: Site Admin
VA Theft of information
"Interdum feror cupidine partium magnarum Europae vincendarum"
(Sometimes I get this urge to conquer large parts of Europe)
Mentor to those who would seek to be CAS God's
(Sometimes I get this urge to conquer large parts of Europe)
Mentor to those who would seek to be CAS God's
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, June 6, 2006 - Active-duty servicemembers and members of the National Guard and Reserves may be affected by the recent personal data loss by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the VA announced today.
The VA announced over the weekend that the records stolen from the home of a VA representative in May might include personal information of people currently in the military, according to a VA news release. Initial findings from VA indicated the personal information on about 50,000 active duty, National Guard and Reserve personnel may have been involved.
As the two agencies compared electronic files, VA and DoD learned that personal information on as many as 1.1 million active-duty servicemembers, 430,000 National Guardsmen, and 645,000 members of the Reserves may have been included in the data theft, according to today's release.
In May, the VA learned that an employee took home electronic data without authorization, in violation of established VA policies. The employee's home was burglarized and the data were stolen. Included were names, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth for up to 26.5 million veterans.
The VA receives records for every new accession and military enlistee because active-duty personnel and National Guardsmen and Reservists are eligible to receive certain VA benefits, according to the release.
"VA remains committed to providing updates on this incident as new information is learned," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs R. James Nicholson. "The department will continue to make every effort to inform and help protect those potentially affected, and is working with the Department of Defense to notify all affected personnel."
Nicholson said VA is currently in discussions with several entities regarding credit-monitoring services to determine how veterans and active-duty personnel potentially affected can best be served. The VA has received no reports that the stolen data has been used for fraudulent purposes.
Several resources are available to servicemembers and veterans who may have been affected by this data loss:
- The VA has set up a special Web site and a toll-free telephone number: http://www.firstgov.gov and 1-800-FED-INFO (1-800-333-4636). Each features up-to-date news and information on the data compromise. The Web site provides steps on how to check credit reports, how to guard against identity theft and who to call if an individual believes any fraudulent activity is occurring with his or her personal information.
- Information relating to the defeat of identify theft also is available at http://www.militaryonesource.com.
Related Site:
Latest Information on Veterans Affairs Data Security [ http://www.firstgov.gov./veteransinfo ]
_______________________________________________________
NOTE: View the original version of this web page on DefenseLINK,
the official website of the U.S. Department of Defense, at
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Jun2006 ... _5349.html.
====================================================
Visit the Defense Department's Web site "America Supports You" at http://www.americasupportsyou.mil, that spotlights what Americans are doing in support of U.S. military men and women serving at home and abroad.
WASHINGTON, June 6, 2006 - Active-duty servicemembers and members of the National Guard and Reserves may be affected by the recent personal data loss by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the VA announced today.
The VA announced over the weekend that the records stolen from the home of a VA representative in May might include personal information of people currently in the military, according to a VA news release. Initial findings from VA indicated the personal information on about 50,000 active duty, National Guard and Reserve personnel may have been involved.
As the two agencies compared electronic files, VA and DoD learned that personal information on as many as 1.1 million active-duty servicemembers, 430,000 National Guardsmen, and 645,000 members of the Reserves may have been included in the data theft, according to today's release.
In May, the VA learned that an employee took home electronic data without authorization, in violation of established VA policies. The employee's home was burglarized and the data were stolen. Included were names, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth for up to 26.5 million veterans.
The VA receives records for every new accession and military enlistee because active-duty personnel and National Guardsmen and Reservists are eligible to receive certain VA benefits, according to the release.
"VA remains committed to providing updates on this incident as new information is learned," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs R. James Nicholson. "The department will continue to make every effort to inform and help protect those potentially affected, and is working with the Department of Defense to notify all affected personnel."
Nicholson said VA is currently in discussions with several entities regarding credit-monitoring services to determine how veterans and active-duty personnel potentially affected can best be served. The VA has received no reports that the stolen data has been used for fraudulent purposes.
Several resources are available to servicemembers and veterans who may have been affected by this data loss:
- The VA has set up a special Web site and a toll-free telephone number: http://www.firstgov.gov and 1-800-FED-INFO (1-800-333-4636). Each features up-to-date news and information on the data compromise. The Web site provides steps on how to check credit reports, how to guard against identity theft and who to call if an individual believes any fraudulent activity is occurring with his or her personal information.
- Information relating to the defeat of identify theft also is available at http://www.militaryonesource.com.
Related Site:
Latest Information on Veterans Affairs Data Security [ http://www.firstgov.gov./veteransinfo ]
_______________________________________________________
NOTE: View the original version of this web page on DefenseLINK,
the official website of the U.S. Department of Defense, at
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Jun2006 ... _5349.html.
====================================================
Visit the Defense Department's Web site "America Supports You" at http://www.americasupportsyou.mil, that spotlights what Americans are doing in support of U.S. military men and women serving at home and abroad.
"Interdum feror cupidine partium magnarum Europae vincendarum"
(Sometimes I get this urge to conquer large parts of Europe)
Mentor to those who would seek to be CAS God's
(Sometimes I get this urge to conquer large parts of Europe)
Mentor to those who would seek to be CAS God's
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ANGRYCivilian
- Tadpole
- Posts: 2143
- Joined: July 16th, 2004, 9:02 am
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Rock Island Ranger
- Ranger
- Posts: 10935
- Joined: February 8th, 2004, 10:00 pm
Noone worries about a Hurricane till it hits them either. The problem as it were is Identity Theft. Note, your social security and address was in the info that was stolen. With that and a few fake ID's, a person can buy cars, credit cards, all in your name and address. I have seen it take 3 years to unwind from the damage. You have 3 years to waste trying to unfuck your life?ANGRYCivilian wrote:For some reason, I'm not too worried about this. Seriously, I don't have much to steal, so maybe that's it.
This is pretty fucked up, and sounds a little shady too me.
A gent I worked with had it happen, he had over $300,000 of credit AGAINST him...unpaid. From the 3 credit bureaus he was persona non grata....could not buy a car, could NOT buy a house, could NOT get shit unless he paid cash. Its serious. Its damned serious.
RS Class # 7-76
I'm not the way I am because I was a Ranger - I was a Ranger because of the way I am.
¿Querría usted el primer redondo en la rodilla o la cara?
The road goes on forever and the party never ends.
I'm not the way I am because I was a Ranger - I was a Ranger because of the way I am.
¿Querría usted el primer redondo en la rodilla o la cara?
The road goes on forever and the party never ends.
