Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: wrag on May 22, 2006, 03:57:51 PM
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If you are a Vet check here!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.va.gov/
Your personal data could have been stolen and be used for identity theft?!?!?!
The VA is working on it but you may want to check into it!
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Yep, just read about this. Not good.
The data included names, Social Security numbers and dates of birth for the military veterans and some spouses, the department said, although there had as yet been no indication it had been used for identity theft. The electronic data related to everyone discharged from the military since 1975.
"We are going to send out an individual notification letter to every veteran to the extent possible," warning them of the risk of identity theft, Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson said.
Nicholson said the theft of the data from the employee's home took place this month, but declined to identify the employee, the location of the burglary or how long the employee had the data at his home.
:confused:
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Lovely.....I want compensation for this fork up. :mad:
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Lock and load guys ... We should string up that data geek .
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I just read the article... what to say beyond unbelievable.
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I smell a rat.
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Henh. I'm so damn old I missed the cutoff.
:)
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Same here Hang. Something is amiss though. How did he get the information on 26.5 million vets to his house? You do not simply copy that to a disk and take it home. And what are the odds of being burglarized and the burglars take the data? And if the burglar(s) knew what was being taken, what motive would they have?
The whole thing stinks, but I cannot imagine why they would cover up the loss of the data. Or, did they lose it and need a scape-goat?
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The fool working at the Veteran's Administration took the discs containing the data HOME with him!
His head should roll...literally.
Talk about frigging STUPID!
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Originally posted by Skuzzy
Same here Hang. Something is amiss though. How did he get the information on 26.5 million vets to his house? You do not simply copy that to a disk and take it home. And what are the odds of being burglarized and the burglars take the data? And if the burglar(s) knew what was being taken, what motive would they have?
The whole thing stinks, but I cannot imagine why they would cover up the loss of the data. Or, did they lose it and need a scape-goat?
had a similar deal with the bank.. called up said thier data had been compromised, needed to come down and get new ATM cards. Showed up and gave 'em the third degree. Got no reasonable answers. When they wanted to issue the new cards there was a fee.
Bingo.
Raised holy hell.. got the new cards for free.
I have no idea what the motivator is for this fed fiasco is though.
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Originally posted by Hangtime
I have no idea what the motivator is for this fed fiasco is though.
Maybe the NSA wanted to match up some of those phone calls but couldn't afford the publicity.:noid
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i have to agree ... I smell a Ratt .. and somethings amiss
the usg just doesnt let user B take home info outta Box A ...
ever see a hard drive in a gov surplus action ? ... no.... because they number write them and then Destroy them .
I dont want to deal with identity crap again ... what a pain in the arse that was .... took 7 yrs btw to sort it all out .
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Lots of people take work home with them and data packrats like myself like to keep things "just in case I need it" or "in case the boss calls", but this was pure poor judgement. And if there was a workplace policy or supervisor decision that led him to take it home, then those guys need to roast too.
I feel guilty taking home recall rosters...
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from http://www.va.gov
"The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has recently learned that an employee, a data analyst, took home electronic data from the VA, which he was not authorized to do. This behavior was in violation of our policies. This data contained identifying information including names, social security numbers, and dates of birth for up to 26.5 million veterans and some spouses, as well as some disability ratings. Importantly, the affected data did not include any of VA's electronic health records nor any financial information. The employee's home was burglarized and this data was stolen. "
"The employee has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation."
admin leave my arse ....he should be in a nice cell with a jar of starved ratts glued to his face .
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Well, I might forgive him, if he has a good enough excuse. I cringe to think that no one else in this post has ever ****ed up big.
But if I was the criminal who stole the data, I'd be wary about using it. What happens to pedophiles in jail would be like a weekend retreat compared to what would happen to this guy.
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So a burglar broke in and stole this data? How'd he know it was there? The value of it?
Aye, a rat I smell.
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Originally posted by lasersailor184
Well, I might forgive him, if he has a good enough excuse. I cringe to think that no one else in this post has ever ****ed up big.
But if I was the criminal who stole the data, I'd be wary about using it. What happens to pedophiles in jail would be like a weekend retreat compared to what would happen to this guy.
its a matter of national security actually and others... We signed a privacy act when we were in the Service and this actually violates that . If any of that data is used to harm anyone of us..... Its "Feed the frelling lawyer" time .
<-- usaf 82-86
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Most likely the burglar thought he only stole a regular PC untill he read the news. Now he's trying to find someone with connections to it-criminals. Well, unless he already sold the machine for gaming to someone. :rolleyes:
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Just one more reason to bid "no confidence" this years elections...
1. no encryption..
2. piss poor security policy
3. no death penalty for this type of unbridled incompetence as deterrent..**
**be shure to vote zod in 2008 and this fall pencil him in as your senator / rep
Zod wouldn't tolerate such incompetence....
http://www.zod2008.com
"Instead of hidden agendas and waffling policies, I offer you direct candor and brutal certainty. I only ask for your tribute, your lives, and your vote."
DoctorYo
PS: Having called the respective VA numbers, they cant even determine if your data is missing or not... @ 26 million + I think its safe to say everyone (after 1975) by doing the math... I bet Zod would roll heads to find out though... not "we can not determine"
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Hehe, I actually like that Yo. The last election I did the "no confidence" thing, but I just might go nuts the next election.
Unless they run the Condolizard or the Billary, then I will vote against them. Can't risk either of those slime balls getting in.
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At first I thought " Hmm should I worry?". Then reality set in. If somebody wants my identity their welcome to it.;)
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According to a co-worker of mine, this incident happened almost two weeks ago...and it's just now being released to the press.
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Released? Or leaked?
There is a differance.
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Originally posted by Shifty
At first I thought " Hmm should I worry?". Then reality set in. If somebody wants my identity their welcome to it.;)
Thanks, I just need your social, dob and your mother's maiden name.:)
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More information available
At least two companies offering identity-theft protection, LifeLock and
MyPublicInfo, said they had discount packages for veterans affected by the
theft.
Sorry no address was given other then the company names.
The email this comes from also expresses outrage over the delay in reporting the information to vets.
I also noticed..........
"Officials familiar with the case said that while investigators had no reason
to dispute the employee's account, they were nonetheless puzzled why little
else of value besides the data-laden disks were stolen. In an added twist,
the officials said investigators were having trouble finding the employee
but did not think that he was necessarily trying to be evasive. "
the matter is apparently going to be "investigated" by the government.
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Well coming from the banking/financial side of the world....there would NOT be any administrative leave. It would be fired on the spot...and dont go too far...between the FBI, FDIC and local law, you could be facing a stack of charges.
Im just in awe the VA doesnt have half the procedures commercials banks like ourselves have. I wonder if they even have security audits.
I also read that they knew about this problem...FOR TWO WEEKS.
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Originally posted by wrag
At least two companies offering identity-theft protection, LifeLock and
MyPublicInfo, said they had discount packages for veterans affected by the
theft.
Why of course they are. They can discount it to look like they give a &*%$ , but still jump on this to make a buck off of as many of the 2.6 million Vets as possible. Who by the way should not have had their personal records put at risk in the first place.
Chums in the water, and the first fins appear already.:lol
Nothing like a captive market.
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Gets even better... looks like 2.2 million active duty had info stolen too..
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060607/pl_nm/crime_usa_veterans_dc_3
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Not only did they find out that AT LEAST 1 million active duty personnel have had their information stolen in this deal, the VA has realized they dont even have an accurate record of how many laptops they have issued and they dont know where they all are. The VA is doing an audit trying to figure out who they have given laptop computers to and where they are now. Lovely.
In the meantime, Vets have filed a class action lawsuit. If you think your information was compromised in this fiasco, check here.
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1972946,00.asp
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They should take the person(s) responsible and hang them in public. Our nations veterant should be honored, and protected, not have their personal information stolen. thats a crock of bull. I mean its bad enough that they die in wars, or come home all messed up, but to have something like this happen to them is so way beyond wrong.
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StarOfAfrica2 wrote;
In the meantime, Vets have filed a class action lawsuit. If you think your information was compromised in this fiasco, check here.
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1972946,00.asp
Oh goody, a class action. So the lawyers get $674,841,291.22 and we get a coupon for a free coke with any purchase of 2 happy meals.
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pretty much yeah
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From the Army times...........
Army Times staff writer
The laptop computer and peripheral equipment containing the personal
information on millions of service members, veterans and family members was
most likely erased of all data and resold, probably to a college student,
the secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs said Thursday.
But, as VA Secretary R. James Nicholson was telling a House committee that
the stolen computer and data storage devices were taken in a string of
robberies in a Maryland neighborhood, and probably cleaned and sold to a
student, an Ohio congressman asked the VA to start investing the possible
identification theft of a 33-year-old Persian Gulf War veteran.
Rep. Steven C. LaTourette, R-Ohio, said a Steven Michel, a disabled veteran,
discovered June 1 that his monthly disability check is being mailed to a
different address. "He was stunned to learn that it, in fact, had been put
in a new account - his new account," LaTourette said.
After visiting the Cleveland regional office of the VA, Michel was assured
his problem would be fixed within seven days, LaTourette said.
"Mr. Michel is rightly concerned about this and he wonders how his direct
deposit form could be changed and why it happened on the heels of the
reports of the stolen laptop," LaTourette said. "He does not believe this is
simply a computer glitch because his monthly disability check has been
deposited in the same account for years."
"He believes whoever did this must have had his name, address and Social
Security number," the congressman said. "He is even more disturbed that his
bank informed him that it was possible someone phoned in a new, direct
deposit information to a bogus bank account, his new account in the state of
Michigan."
Nicholson promised to look into Michel's situation. "That is the first
incidence I have heard of affecting a veteran since this has come to light,"
he said, saying it is possible Michel is a victim of identity theft not
related to the May 3 data theft.
"Every year in this country 1 percent to 3 percent of the people suffer from
identity theft," Nicholson said. "Last year, 9 million Americans did,
causing them an average of 28 hours of time to straighten it out and an
average cost of $5,600, almost all of which was born by the affected
creditors, not the consumers."
The computer and storage devices taken from the home of a VA employee, who
was not authorized to have the sensitive records at home, happened in
Montgomery County, Md., and was one of a string of burglaries in the area on
the same night, Nicholson said.
Law enforcement officials "believe that these were young burglars whose goal
was to get computers, computer peripheral equipment," he said. That is what
was taken from several houses.
"They further think that their M.O. is to take these things, clean them up,
actually erase them, and then fence them into a market on college campuses
and high schools where they can pick this stuff up pretty cheap, but we have
no assurance of that," Nicholson said.
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Got The Letter yesterday;
http://netsecs.us/ag/va1.rtf
(http://www.toad.com/gnu/im-still-free-what-about-you.jpg) (http://papersplease.org/)
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Laptop recovered, no data was mined:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,201540,00.html