In light of recent events, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has undergone substantial changes to better aid active service members, veterans and their beneficiaries.
A new campaign, titled More Than a Number, has been launched by the VA. This campaign is geared towards educating veterans about identify theft prevention.
The campaign references the personally identifiable information that the VA encourages veterans to protect.
“We recognize that for Veterans, as for all Americans in the digital age, identify theft is a growing concern,” said Steph Warren, VA’s Chief Information Officer. “Our goal is to help educate and protect those who have protected this great country.”
As part of the campaign, the VA has launched a new website containing identify theft resources for active service members, veterans and their beneficiaries. The website features educational information, interactive multimedia and links to other identity theft prevention resources.
In defending against identity theft, VA understands that awareness is critical. With this campaign, the VA aims to educate veterans on the risk of identity theft and how to avoid becoming a victim.
In 2012, 1 in 20 Americans fell victim to identity theft with most of the scenarios being easily avoidable.
The more vigilant you are about looking for warning signs, the harder it will be for identity thieves to get what they want.
The VA highlights some common identity theft warning signs:
- There are unexplained charges on your credit card bill
- You receive a notification for an account you didn’t open
- You are denied credit for no apparent reason
Information regarding protective tips, update on what the VA is doing and additional external resources can be found on the website’s homepage.
Perhaps the most valuable advice involves incorporating small lifestyle changes that can make a positive impact on protecting yourself from identity theft.
“Little things like shredding banking statements before throwing them away or using strong and unique passwords for all of your accounts can make a significant difference in protecting your identity from thieves who may try to use your personal information,” said Warren.
If you have fallen victim to identity theft, it’s advisable to follow the below actions recommended by the VA:
- Check the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Guidance and file a complaint
- Place a fraud alert on your credit reports while reviewing report carefully
- Contact your financial institution or credit card company immediately
- File a report with your local police department and keep a copy of the report on hand, as credit companies, banks and merchants may require a copy in order to resolve issue
