About 1,700 Wisconsin soldiers are among 131,000 nationally whose personal information has been stolen.

A laptop computer stolen July 27 from a National Guard Bureau contractor, contained names, home and e-mail addresses plus Social Security numbers of current and former Army Guard members enrolled in the Army National Guard’s Bonus and Incentives program, according to a Wisconsin Army and Air National Guard press release.

The Wisconsin National Guard is alerting soldiers of the incident and its potential threat while the National Guard Bureau will notify all affected personnel by letter by Saturday, Aug. 15.  Maine Public Broadcasting Network reports that an estimated 766 current and former members of the Maine National Guard at risk of identity theft as a result of this incident.

The National Guard set up special Web site about the information security breach at www.ng.mil. In addition, guard members may call toll-free at 1-877-481-4957 from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.

U.S. Air Force targeted for Identity Theft in Georgia

In an unrelated identity theft case, DeKalb County Police have arrested two women and secured warrants for three others who took part in an organized identity theft ring that stole more than $50,000 from members of the U.S. Air Force.

The five suspects include a mother, her two daughters, a cousin and a neighbor, said DeKalb Det. Angel S. Lewis.

Detectives believe that in 2007, the suspects gained access to the secured alpha member roster of the 80th Aerial Port Squadron based out of Dobbins Air Force Base, said DeKalb Police spokeswoman Mekka Parish. Since that time, over 20 airmen in this unit have fallen victim to identify theft.

The suspects used personal information from the roster such as dates of births, addresses and social security numbers to open online bank accounts, each opened at different times. The suspects then made false deposits to these accounts and overdrew large sums of money.

Take these additional steps to determine if your identity has been stolen:

– Check credit reports such as Equifax, 1-800-685-1111, www.equifax.com; Experian, 1-888-397-3742, www.experian.com; TransUnion, 1-800-916-8800, www.transunion.com.

– Watch for unexpected bills and for routine bills that are late or missing.

– Read our 36 tips to protect your identity from being stolen.

All citizens and military members, regardless if they have been victims of fraud, can contact one of the three credit reporting companies list above to place a 90-day fraud alert on their credit lines.   Soldiers on active duty are entitled to a 12-month fraud alert on credit lines.

Related posts:

1. Black Market Prices for Stolen Credit Card ID’s
2. Why Do You Need My Kid’s Social Security Number?
3. How To Open Credit Cards for Dead People
4. Combating Credit Fraud: What the Government and the Credit Industry Are Doing to Protect You
5. Is There Anything Else I Can Steal From You?

Tagged as: Credit, Credit Bureau, credit report, credit score, equifax, experian, Identity Theft, TransUnion Credit Bureau

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