Free Credit Monitoring Offer for Veterans Revoked

If you're new here and like what you read, you may want to subscribe to my email alerts or RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

Since the infamous laptop containing personal information of 26.5 million veterans was returned, the Bush administration has withdrawn its offer of free credit monitoring to veterans.

Rob Portman, the White House budget director, wrote House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) yesterday withdrawing the administration’s request for $160.5 million to pay for a year of free credit monitoring and citing the June 28 recovery of the stolen laptop and external hard drive by police. The FBI said it had a “high degree of confidence” that thieves had not accessed the files containing the names, Social Security numbers and birth dates of millions of veterans and active-duty military personnel.

Notice that the FBI didn’t say they were 100% sure. In any case, this “saves” the government millions of dollars. Let’s see where they’ll allocate those savings.

Source: Washington Post

Links of Interest: Free credit report & history. Find out what lenders and employers know about you. It may be more than you think!

Written by MCruz on July 19th, 2006 with no comments.
Read more articles on Commentary and Government and Identity Theft and Veterans.

Hampton Residents’ Personal Data Available on Public Computer

City officials in Hampton, VA have discovered a public computer - in the city courthouse - had several hundred Social Security numbers on display. The computer was only suppose to provide limited information. However, it is believed a recent computer system upgrade had corrupted the security codes in place.

The computer held information from the city treasurer’s office and include data on those who paid taxes on cars, motorcycles, boats, homes, apartments and businesses from across Hampton, Mugler said. Not everyone’s Social Security number was listed, and it’s unclear how far back the records stretch.

The computer was put in the court records building in 2002 to help title searchers go through public real estate records to make sure no back taxes were left on a property.

Source: WTKR Your NewsChannel 3

Written by MCruz on July 19th, 2006 with no comments.
Read more articles on Government and Identity Theft.