Stolen VA Laptop Found, But, Scam Warning Issued

The following information was passed to me through Military Office Assocation of America (MOAA) email. They have also posted it on their website: Link to MOAA

Stolen VA Laptop Found, but Scam Warning Issued

Department of Veterans' Affairs Secretary James Nicholson says the stolen laptop computer that contained millions of veterans' personal data has been recovered. The equipment is being analyzed by FBI forensic specialists in an effort to determine whether the data may have been compromised.

The Associated Press reported earlier this week that VA has been spending $200,000 a day to maintain a call center for concerned veterans.

Ironically, the VA issued a new warning of a so-called "phishing" scam that targets veterans who may be worried that their VA data was stolen. It involves Internet fraudsters who send mass e-mails or pop-up messages asking unsuspecting recipients to provide personal information [credit card numbers, bank account information, Social Security number, passwords, or other sensitive information] so the scammer can "check whether their data has been compromised."

According to the VA, some of these e-mails originate from the address "abuse@vba.va.gov," and ask the recipient to check an account by clicking on a link. The VA says it has no such e-mail address, and the link in the email is to a web site in Asia.

If you receive a suspicious email, DO NOT open it, but delete it immediately.

Bosun's comment: If an isn't one thing it is another. The criminals scam the vets in the United States and the terrorists make threatening calls to (British) families back home. Just a matter of time before we get calls here too. We are degrading fast. And the appeasers, apologists, and those soft on terror and crime are making it easier for vets on both sides of the Atlantic to become targets.

Category: Military.

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