VETERANS: BE AWARE OF POTENTIAL ID THEFT

I am urging veterans concerned that their personal information may have been stolen to contact the federal government�s special call center 1-800-FED-INFO or to visit the official government portal www.firstgov.gov or the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs at www.va.gov/opa. The call center and websites provide information to determine if veterans� identification is being used to commit identity theft crimes or fraud, and where to report suspicious or unusual activity.

This recommendation follows the news that thieves recently stole U.S. Veterans Affairs electronic data containing the Social Security numbers and birth dates of 26.5 million veterans across the nation, who are now at risk of having their credit compromised or even destroyed.

Veterans need to be vigilant and know who to contact if they suspect that they may be the victim of identity theft crimes. Since this occurred, I have been urging my fellow veterans to phone the call center, or, if they have access to a computer, to visit these websites.

I am also calling on the federal government to adopt a law, similar to one already in place in New York, requiring that individuals be notified by mail when their private information is stolen. Last year, in response to the growing problem of identity theft, New York State enacted the Information Security Breach and Notification Act, requiring that consumers be informed in writing whenever an unauthorized person acquires their private information via computerized data so that they can take precautionary measures to prevent becoming victims of identity theft.

The Department of Veterans Affairs asks that all veterans be extra vigilant and carefully monitor bank statements, credit card statements and any other financial statements. Suspicious activity should be reported immediately to the financial institution involved or veterans should contact the Federal Trade Commission. Veterans should also note that the earliest date at which suspicious activity might have occurred is in May 2006, when the theft occurred.

The onus to find out whose personal information was stolen should be placed on the VA, not on our veterans, some of whom are in their 80s and 90s. It should be the responsibility of the VA to contact, in writing, each and every one of those veterans whose personal information has been violated as soon as possible.

Identity theft is a growing problem that can have a devastating effect on an individual�s finances, taking years to recover. It was just last week that my colleagues and I in the Senate Majority stood with Denise Curro, a 25 year old woman from Long Island, who was a victim of identity theft eight years ago when her wallet was stolen in North Carolina. Her credit rating was destroyed and eight years later, she is still dealing with the ramifications of having her identity stolen.

It is my hope that veterans will heed the advice mentioned above so that they may avoid experiencing what Denise Curro has had to endure as a result of identity theft.

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