FYI: VA barred from publicizing offer to vets for STOLEN INFO!

[SHORTY LONG]

What is the name of your state? OHIO

26 JUNE 06

WASHINGTON - A federal judge temporarily has barred the government from publicizing its free credit monitoring offer to veterans whose personal data was stolen and wants to see if they might get a better federal offer.

Lawyers who have filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of the 26.5 million veterans and active-duty troops affected contend that accepting the government's offer could jeopardize their chance of winning more money in the privacy suit.

U.S. District Judge William Bertelsman in Kentucky scheduled a hearing this Friday to determine whether the Veterans Affairs Department should revise its offer. His order on the credit monitoring was issued late last Friday.

The suit seeks free monitoring and other credit protection for an indefinite period as well as $1,000 in damages for each person — or up to $26.5 billion total — in what has become one of the nation's largest information security breaches.

Last week, the department announced its plan to offer free monitoring for a year to millions of veterans and nearly all active-duty military troops whose names, birthdates and Social Security numbers were stolen May 3 from a VA data analyst's home in suburban Maryland.

The department said it would send out letters to affected veterans and military personnel in early August — after it solicits bids from contractors — on how to sign up for the free service. It also posted information on the government's Web site.

But in court papers, lawyers for veterans said the VA's deal was "incomplete and misleading." The VA must make clear whether veterans who take the government deal will have to give up their rights in court to a potentially larger payout, lawyer Marc Mezibov wrote. A spokesman for the VA did not have an immediate comment Sunday.

Last week, a Senate committee approved $160 million to pay for the credit monitoring for veterans. It is one of many expected payments as the government struggles with fallout from data breaches crossing at least six agencies.

The VA alone has spent more than $14 million so far to notify veterans by letter and set up a call center, and it is spending an additional $200,000 a day to maintain the call center.
Class-action suits filed by veterans alleging privacy violations are pending in Covington, Ky., and Washington, D.C.

On the Net:
For veterans suspecting identity theft: http://www.firstgov.gov or 1-800-FED-INFO

 

[thepizzaguy]

What is the name of your state? OHIO

26 JUNE 06

WASHINGTON - A federal judge temporarily has barred the government from publicizing its free credit monitoring offer to veterans whose personal data was stolen and wants to see if they might get a better federal offer.

Lawyers who have filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of the 26.5 million veterans and active-duty troops affected contend that accepting the government's offer could jeopardize their chance of winning more money in the privacy suit.

U.S. District Judge William Bertelsman in Kentucky scheduled a hearing this Friday to determine whether the Veterans Affairs Department should revise its offer. His order on the credit monitoring was issued late last Friday.

The suit seeks free monitoring and other credit protection for an indefinite period as well as $1,000 in damages for each person — or up to $26.5 billion total — in what has become one of the nation's largest information security breaches.

Last week, the department announced its plan to offer free monitoring for a year to millions of veterans and nearly all active-duty military troops whose names, birthdates and Social Security numbers were stolen May 3 from a VA data analyst's home in suburban Maryland.

The department said it would send out letters to affected veterans and military personnel in early August — after it solicits bids from contractors — on how to sign up for the free service. It also posted information on the government's Web site.

But in court papers, lawyers for veterans said the VA's deal was "incomplete and misleading." The VA must make clear whether veterans who take the government deal will have to give up their rights in court to a potentially larger payout, lawyer Marc Mezibov wrote. A spokesman for the VA did not have an immediate comment Sunday.

Last week, a Senate committee approved $160 million to pay for the credit monitoring for veterans. It is one of many expected payments as the government struggles with fallout from data breaches crossing at least six agencies.

The VA alone has spent more than $14 million so far to notify veterans by letter and set up a call center, and it is spending an additional $200,000 a day to maintain the call center.
Class-action suits filed by veterans alleging privacy violations are pending in Covington, Ky., and Washington, D.C.

On the Net:
For veterans suspecting identity theft: http://www.firstgov.gov or 1-800-FED-INFO

Does anyone know who the lawyers are that are handling the lawsuit?

Free credit protection is not good enough.

Punitive payments must be awarded to help make sure this doesn't happen again

And thanks SHORTY for the article ;-)

 

[SHORTY LONG]

27 June 06 VA Data Theft Update!

27 JUNE 06

VA Wants More Money after DATA THEFT!

WASHINGTON - Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson promised Congress on Tuesday he could turn his agency into a "model for information security" but said lawmakers are going to have to be patient.

Nicholson also said the Bush administration was asking for at least $160.5 million in emergency funds for credit monitoring and other measures to protect veterans and military troops whose sensitive personal information was stolen from a VA employee's laptop computer.Besides covering monitoring for about half of the 17.5 million people whose Social Security numbers were compromised, the money would pay for out-of-pocket expenses ranging from $10,000 to $20,000 for those whose identities are stolen, he told a House panel.

Under questioning, Nicholson acknowledged that much more money may be needed to revamp information security at the VA and other agencies. He also left the door open to providing veterans more than one year of free monitoring following the May 3 burglary at a VA data analyst's home. "Unfortunately, a very bad thing happened," Nicholson told a House Appropriations subcommittee.

"I think we can turn VA into the model for information security," he added. "I will not try to mislead you and delude. This will not be easy and it will not be overnight. "Of the $160.5 million, Nicholson said, about $29 million will be taken from VA funds budgeted in 2006 to cover personnel costs at the Veterans Benefit Administration. That money would not have otherwise been used in 2006 due to hiring plans that had been already pushed back to 2007, he added. The other $131.5 million would be reallocated from other areas of the White House budget. "It will take some belt tightening. It will not come out of veterans' benefits," Nicholson said.

No reports of identity theft have been reported in connection with the May 3 theft of a computer from the data analyst's home in suburban Maryland. The laptop contained names, birth dates and Social Security numbers for up to 26.5 million people.Last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved $160 million in emergency funds to pay for credit monitoring. It is one of many expected payments as the government struggles with fallout from data thefts and other breaches now crossing at least six agencies, including the Pentagon, Agriculture Department and Federal Trade Commission. Earlier in the hearing, the House panel was urged to spend whatever necessary to avoid undue hardships for victims of data thefts at government agencies.

David McIntyre, president and CEO of TriWest Healthcare Alliance, which administers the Pentagon's health care program in 21 Western states, proposed creating a central government "nerve center" to assist agencies after any such security breach.

"Unfortunately, as we have all come to realize, the question is not whether another incident of information theft will occur but when," he said. "Events such as these are happening with increased regularity — and, surely, spending a few million to prepare is preferable to spending hundreds of millions to react."

In his testimony, Nicholson called the burglary a "wake-up call" that should not come at the expense of veterans, some of whom have challenged the free monitoring in federal court as potentially inadequate. He said about half of the affected veterans were expected to take the government's offer.

Rep. James Walsh (news, bio, voting record), chairman of the House subcommittee, chastised the VA for waiting three weeks to notify veterans about the theft. "This represents a significant lapse of time that could have been vital to protect identity theft," said Walsh, R-N.Y.

The VA announced last week it would offer free credit monitoring for a year to millions of veterans and troops. It said it would send out letters in early August — after it solicits bids from contractors — on how to sign up for the free service. But lawyers for veterans, calling the VA's deal "incomplete and misleading," said the VA must make clear whether veterans will have to give up their rights in court to a potentially larger payout. U.S. District Judge William Bertelsman in Kentucky scheduled a hearing for Friday to determine whether the VA should revise its offer.

The class-action lawsuits, which are pending in Covington, Ky., and Washington, seek free monitoring and other credit protection for an indefinite period as well as $1,000 in damages for each person — or up to $26.5 billion total — in what has become one of the nation's largest information security breaches.

Veterans groups and lawmakers from both parties have criticized the VA about the theft and noted years of warnings by auditors that information security was lax. The data analyst — who was in the process of being dismissed — had taken the information home on a personal laptop for three years.

On the Net: For veterans suspecting identity theft: http://www.firstgov.gov or
1-800-FED-INFO

SHORTY

 

[SHORTY LONG]

P.s.

27 JUNE 06

The PizzaGuy, glad I can help; and you are welcome! Thank you for your kindness Sorry I did not see your kind thank you earlier; my eyes are bugging out like a volkswagon) I am still working on the special project I shared with you earlier! Thanks again, Shorty

 

[SHORTY LONG]

29 June 06 Va Stolen Info Update

29 JUNE 06

VA chief says laptop with vets’ data recovered
Nicholson says no incidents of identity theft reported since burglary

29 JUNE 06

WASHINGTON - The missing laptop and hard drive that contained veterans' personal information has been found, Veterans Administration Chief Jim Nicholson announced Thursday.

The announcement came at the beginning of a hearing before the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing.
"It was confirmed to me by the deputy attorney general that law enforcement has in their possession the ... laptop and hard drive," Nicholson said in a statement at the hearing. "The serial numbers match."

Experts were conducting forensic tests on the laptop and hard drive, Nicholson said. It was not immediately clear if the data on the equipment had been copied or compromised, but Nicholson said "there is reason to be optimistic."
He did not say how the equipment was recovered, on where it's been during the past two months. The equipment was found Wednesday; Nicholson said he wasn't aware of any arrests made in connection with the incident.

An FBI spokesman said the laptop computer was recovered "in the area," but could not provide more specific information. Forensics tests showed "the sensitive files were not accessed," according to special agent in charge Bill Chase.
In early May, the computer equipment was stolen from a VA employee's home. The agency revealed the theft two weeks later. The news has spurred criticism of the agency's computer security procedures.

The announcement was a surprise at the hearing, which was intended to examine the government's treatment of sensitive data.
Even after the announcement, Rep. Bob Filner (D-Calif.) was still critical of the agency.
"The intention seems to be to blame all of this on one guy," he said. "But he had permission to download the data. He had help downloading the data."

TO ALL CONCERNED, GLAD I CAN HELP!
SHORTY

 

[ARMY-HELP]

I don't know....I just don't buy it.... I think they want to save Billions of dollars from a lawsuit.