Identity Theft Protection for Military Members

While U.S. soldiers are on distant shores defending our country, they can be under attack on the home front by a stealthy enemy. Identity theft is a big problem, as it is one of the biggest consumer complaints among military personnel, according to a 2018 Federal Trade Commission Report. Identity theft represented 15 percent of the military consumer complaints detailed in the report. This guide will help active military and veterans be alert for warnings signs of identity theft and take immediate action if it happens to them.

Identity theft happens when someone steals your personal information and uses it to open fake accounts or invade your current accounts and run up charges, potentially leaving you with huge debts and ruined credit ratings. Identity thieves can even commit crimes in your name, leaving you with a criminal record you're unaware of until it surfaces unexpectedly.

Military IDs have been tied to social security numbers since the late 1960s. While civilians are conditioned to guard personal information, military members are accustomed to readily sharing their ID number with commanding officers or when filling out paperwork, applying for health care, even when using the laundry service or gym equipment on base.

This leaves them susceptible to identity thieves.

In recognition of the growing crime of identity theft, the White House in 2007 issued an order instructing all federal agencies to begin reducing the reliance on SSNs. This process is ongoing at the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Even so, with some 1.2 million Americans on active duty and more than 21 million veterans - plus family members - millions of the old military IDs with SSNs are still out there.

In addition to the ubiquitous use of their SSNs, military personnel are targeted and fall prey to identity theft for a variety of reasons.

The most important action service members can take to protect their sensitive personal information and identity is to stay vigilant. If your military mission prevents you from taking action to protect your identity, arrange for a trusted family member or friend to do it for you. Explore the option of power of attorney before you deploy.

Here are some measures you can take to avoid becoming a victim of identity theft.

• Place an "active duty alert" on your credit file when deployed, so creditors need to verify your identity before granting credit in your name.
  Active duty alerts last for one year but can be renewed. Contact one of the three major credit reporting agencies - Equifax, Experian, TransUnion - the agency must alert the other two. Alert lasts for a year.

• Check out military discount offers thoroughly.
  You should not have to exchange sensitive personal information for such deals. The old saying "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is,"es.

• Be wary when sharing your information in crowded, public areas.
  Keep your military ID, SSN and other sensitive personal information to yourself in public in case would-be thieves are trying to peek over your shoulder or eavesdrop.

• Log out of accounts when you're done if using a shared computer.
  Closing the browser window isn't enough.

• Monitor financial accounts regularly.
  These include your bank, credit card and health plan statements.

• Obtain and read your credit report.
  This report is available annually from each of the three nationwide credit reporting companies at annualcreditreport.com.

• Shred personal documents before discarding them.
  This includes credit card offers and documents with personal, financial and medical information.

• Don't respond to email, text or phone messages that ask for personal information.
  This is often a sign of a scam.

• Use strong passwords to protect financial accounts.
  Don't use the same one for all your accounts and change your passwords frequently.

• Use encrypted websites when shopping or banking online.
  An encrypted site has "https" at the beginning of its web address; the "s" is for "secure."

• "Hack-proof" your computer.
  Use anti-virus and anti-spyware software and a firewall.

• Guard personal information, such as your social security number, birthdate, credit card numbers and driver's license number.
  Only share with companies you trust. Never provide personal information to retailers to get a merchant discount.

• Use social media responsibly.
  An identity thief can use information gleaned online to answer "challenge" questions and gain access to your personal accounts.

If you suspect you have become a victim of identity fraud - bogus credit card charges, your card is declined, you receive calls from debt collectors - take immediate action.

Emma Fletcher is the BBB scam tracker project director with the BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust, the educational foundation of the Council of Better Business Bureaus. She has more than two decades of experience in dispute resolution and consumer protection, particularly in the areas of marketplace scams, identity theft and privacy. She is a certified information privacy professional and holds a master's degree in public administration from George Mason University.

• AnnualCreditReport.com
  Request your federally guaranteed free annual credit report from each of the three nationwide consumer credit reporting companies online or at 1-877-322-8228.

• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
  The VA's "More Than a Number" initiative spreads awareness of identity theft and disseminates information on identity theft prevention to veterans and their beneficiaries at the Identity Theft Help Line, 1-855-578-5492

• Better Business Bureau.
  The BBB's Military Line consumer education program provides free financial literacy resources to service members and veterans.

• IdentityTheft.gov
  The federal government's one-stop resource for identity theft victims.

• Federal Trade Commission.
  Offers an online guide about identity theft for military personnel and families.

• Identity Theft Resource Center.
  A non-profit organization to support victims of identity theft features a page of links to information and resources specific to the military.

• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
  Fraud protection tools to help safeguard service members.

• Military One Source.
  A tip sheet on how to avoid identity theft from this Department of Defense website providing military life information to active military and veterans.