January 8, 2003 11:45

Identity Theft Threat to 500,000 Troops and Retirees

By Andrea West

An SFTT reader recently e-mailed us with a disturbing piece of news: Intruders last month broke into the Phoenix, Ariz. office of TriWest, the local division of the U.S. military's Tricare healthcare system, stealing computers containing personal file information on hundreds of thousands of military service members and retirees.

The Arizona office manages personnel records for the states of Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, western Texas, Utah and Wyoming. If you are enrolled as a member of TriWest in that 16-state operating area, you would be well-advised to scramble: You may be vulnerable to identity theft as a result of the break-in.

As SFTT reader Dave put it, "My wife and I just got the letter from these [TriWest] knuckleheads, and it looks like we're going to have to contact all the credit agencies and have alerts put on out on our Social Security numbers and God knows what other measures we need to take. This adds insult to injury for the sorry state of health care in the armed forces. I'm totally blown away."

Nearly four weeks later, no arrests have been made.

According to an article in The Arizona Republic on Dec. 27, 2002, thieves broke into the TriWest Healthcare Alliance Corp in Phoenix on Dec. 14, 2002, stealing computer equipment containing the names, addresses, Social Security numbers, phone numbers and claim numbers for 500,000 military and retiree beneficiaries in its 16-state area of responsibility. TriWest, which posted a notice from President David J. McIntyre Jr. on its website about the theft, announced a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of those responsible. TriWest also announced that the company was sending notification letters to those potentially affected by the records theft.

"The theft of this computer equipment and the files contained within is a matter of grave concern to everyone in our company and the Department of Defense," McIntyre said. "TriWest deeply regrets any inconvenience this theft may cause our customers."

If you are covered by TriWest, you may contact them at their 24-hour hotline at 1-888-339-9378. Members can also contact TriWest by e-mail at computertheft@triwest.com.

Anyone who may be affected by the break-in is advised to take immediate identity-theft precautions.

The Federal Trade Commission has posted a notice about this incident on its website. Members of the armed forces may also visit the FTC's Military Sentinel website for more information on consumer protection for service members and their families.

Those potentially at risk should also contact the three primary credit reporting agencies and notify them of a possible identity theft (they require that you both phone and send in a written notice). Each person should also request a copy of his or her credit report immediately to determine whether an unauthorized person is making purchases or charges. The three agencies, as listed by the Federal Trade Commission, are:

Equifax

To order a credit report call: 1-800-685-1111 and write:

Equifax
P.O. Box 740241
Atlanta GA 30374-0241

To report fraud call: 1-800-525-6285 and write to:

Equifax
P.O. Box 740241
Atlanta GA 30374-0241

Experian

To order a credit report call: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742) and write:

Experian
P.O. Box 2104
Allen TX 75013

To report fraud call: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742) and write to:

Experian
P.O. Box 9532
Allen TX 75013

TransUnion

To order a credit report call: 800-916-8800 and write:

TransUnion
P.O. Box 1000
Chester, PA 19022

To report fraud, call: 1-800-680-7289 and write to:

TransUnion
Fraud Victim Assistance Division
P.O. Box 6790
Fullerton, CA 92634

Here are some tips for ensuring that you are not the victim of identity theft: Examine your credit report carefully and look for accounts or debts that you did not authorize. Notify the national credit bureaus immediately and follow their recommendations to resolve the issue. This will include contacting and working with the creditor who holds the fraudulent account.

It is imperative that you keep clear records of all contacts with the creditor and follow up on any fraud incidents. Be sure to request a letter from the creditor which states that you are not responsible for the debt, and check your credit report regularly once these matters are cleared up. Don't throw out anything that pertains to a fraud investigation, and be sure to check with the credit agency and the creditor to make sure you have done everything you need to.

It also may be advisable to contact the Social Security Administration or your state's Department of Motor Vehicles if your SSAN or driver's license number has been compromised.

If any person has information pertinent to the case, they should contact Silent Witness at 1-800-343-TIPS (343-8477). The investigation is being handled jointly by the DoD's Criminal Investigative Service, the FBI and the Phoenix Police Department.

Andrea West is a Contributing Editor of DefenseWatch. She can be reached at defensewatchvet@yahoo.com.