On Thursday, June 29, 2006, Veterans Affairs Secretary R. James Nicholson announced that law enforcement authorities have recovered the laptop and external hard drive stolen in early May from a VA employee's home. According to the F.B.I., a preliminary review of the equipment by computer forensic experts determined that the database remains intact and has not been accessed since it was stolen. A thorough forensic examination of the recovered computer equipment is underway, and the results will be shared once the investigation is completed. Click here for more information.
While there are no guarantees about avoiding identity theft, the Federal Trade Commission has prepared these tips to help you minimize your risk and minimize the damage if a problem occurs. Much more detailed information is available at www.ftc.gov/idtheft.
Things to Consider
- Because your Social Security number can be used by ID thieves to open up fraudulent accounts in your name, watch for signs that your personal information has been misused. For example, bills that don’t arrive on time, receiving credit cards you didn’t apply for, being denied credit or receiving unfavorable terms like high interest rates for no apparent reason, or being contacted by debt collectors or businesses about merchandise or services you didn’t buy.
- Consider placing a fraud alert on your credit file. Fraud alerts tell potential creditors that they should take special precautions to verify the identity of the applicant. Remember that you may find it more difficult to get new credit while there is a fraud alert on your credit file. You can place a 90-day “initial fraud alert” on your file by calling any one of the three nationwide consumer reporting companies at their designated toll free numbers. The company you call will inform the other two. This alert can help stop someone from opening new credit accounts in your name. If you are an identity theft victim and submit an identity theft report like a police report, you can get an “extended” seven-year alert on your file.
Experian: 888-397-3742; www.experian.com
If an initial alert is on a credit file, creditors must use reasonable policies and procedures to verify the identity of the person requesting credit, including calling the consumer at a telephone number designated on the fraud alert. If an extended alert is on a credit file, the creditor must contact the consumer at the telephone number designated on the extended alert.
TransUnion: 800-680-7289; www.transunion.com
Equifax: 877-576-5734; www.equifax.com
When you place a fraud alert with one of the three credit reporting companies, you will receive information about ordering one free credit report from each of the three companies.
- If you do not want to place a fraud alert on your credit file, you can still order your free annual credit report. You can order online at annualcreditreport.com, or by calling toll free 877-322-8228, or by writing Annual Credit Report Request Service, Box 105281, Atlanta, GA, 30384-5281.
- Once you receive your report, review it for suspicious activity like inquiries from companies you didn’t contact, accounts you didn’t open, and unexplained charges on accounts you cannot explain. Check that other information, like your address, date of birth or employer, is correct.
- If you are away from your permanent duty station, you may place an active duty alert on your credit file to help minimize the risk of identity theft while you are deployed. Active duty alerts are in effect on your file for one year. If your deployment lasts longer, you can place another alert on your credit file.
You may place an active duty alert on your credit file by contacting any one of the nationwide consumer reporting companies mentioned above. The process for getting and removing an active duty alert, and a business' response to your alert, are the same as for an 'initial alert.' You may use a personal representative to place or remove an alert. If you are not on active duty, use the standard fraud alert.
When you place an active duty alert, you'll be removed from the credit reporting companies' marketing list for pre-screened credit card offers for two years unless you ask to go back on the list before then.
- Some states allow consumers to "freeze" their credit file. Credit freezes restrict access to a consumer’s credit file, so the file cannot be used in credit granting decisions. If a credit freeze is in place, it is unlikely that creditors would open a new account because they can’t determine the credit-worthiness of the applicant. Neither an ID thief nor the actual consumer would be able to get credit while a freeze is in effect.
Some states restrict the right to freeze a credit file to identity theft victims – people whose information has been misused either to create new accounts or engage in other identity-related fraud. Other states allow anyone to freeze their credit file. Almost all states that have freeze laws require that a freeze be free for ID theft victims, but some states make a freeze available to any consumer for a fee that typically ranges from $10 to $15. Almost all states impose a fee for “unfreezing” the report when a consumer is seeking some credit related transaction.
If you want to put a credit freeze in place, you will have to contact each of the three consumer reporting companies.
- If you learn that your information has been misused, file a complaint with the police, and with the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov/idtheft or 877 ID THEFT. The FTC website also has step-by-step instructions on other measures to take, including an ID Theft Affidavit that consumers can use when disputing unauthorized accounts.
For more information visit:
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Identity Theft Tips from the Federal Trade Commission
www.ftc.gov/idtheft -
The U.S.Government’s Official Web Portal
www.FirstGov.gov/veteransinfo -
Department of Veterans Affairs
www.va.gov