I'm so TICKED! I got my VA 'warning' letter today. What do I do?

Question

For those who have not heard, a few weeks ago some dummy who worked with Military Affairs, took home his laptop then it was stolen. His laptop had something like a list of 1 million veteran's personal information on it including name, ssn, birthdate, etc...

The Military announced it would be warning everybody who was on the list... today I GOT MY WARNING LETTER?

I want to beat somebody's **** or sue somebody... something!!!

Answer 1

I work for a veterans organization and am also a veteran who received the letter. The organization for which I work is filing a class action lawsuit on behalf of all veterans. We are seeking $1,000 for every veteran. Unfortunately if something happens to you, this money probably won't mean much.

So what you need to do is be diligent about protecting yourself. Check you credit periodically. Keep on top of your credit cards and bank accounts. I believe each person is entitled to one free credit report per year. There is more info at http://www.firstgov.gov/veteransinfo.shtml.

Answer 2

Your VA warning letter listed the things that you should do on the second page of the letter. Read it, do it, you'll be fine. And if you read your letter, it said that name, ssn and birthdate were pretty much the only info stolen, so it's not like they have your address and medical records. Quit freaking out. It was a bad thing but **** happens. You were in the military, didn't they teach you how to adapt?

Answer 3

To begin it was not a Military person who was the stupid one. It was a civilian VA Employee.
Now what should you do? Follow the instructions in the letter. I happened to get one too.
Who do we blame? Not only the person who took his government computer home, but the top brass in the VA System all the way to the top...... CONGRESS.... WHO HAS SCREWED THE GI's for years making promises that were never meant to be kept. They promised any one who stayed in the military for 20 years FULL medical coverage for the them and their familys and they now have a potential change in the system to start soaking it to the retiree's in deductables and co-pays. By the way, we are already getting stuck for co-pays on prescriptions.
So gentlemen & lady's, start voting for people who are looking out for the people they are suppose to be serving instead of filling their own pockets with pay increases and any other benefits they want. Write letters to those already in Congress and ask them what to do about the letters your getting and to see if they'll get off their butts and rectify the mess they've made.

Answer 4

I know how u feel.. Keep that letter as well as the enevolpe and keep it safe. This will help if u expect fraudlent uses on ur credit report. It is scary because now it is very possible that our identies to be stolen. But if u keep if u keep all that u got from the VA, it will prove ur case for id thefts.....there's not much we can do now.....

Answer 5

Yes, i got mine yesterday. And like anything else government-oriented, you just grab your ankles and take it without the courtesy of a reach around.
You could write people and call and complain but it won't make much difference. And even if you vote...as you saw in the last 2 elections that doesn't make much of a difference either. That's why I'm getting the hell out of Dodge and going north where it's cold and they won;t let mass amounts of illegal people wander into their country.

Answer 6

Go through the steps that everybody goes through when they are victims of identity theft. Then check to see if there is a class action law suite being brought against that person.

Answer 7

Received mine yesterday...I subscribed to a credit monitoring program so I can view anything fishy that occurs...sent the bill to the VA...somehow I don't think I'll get reimbursed but made me feel a little better

Answer 8

Dont worry I just got mine too.Just dont acknowledge your private info to anyone claiming to be from the VA affairs over the phone. Also check your credit report and make sure everything is in order.Report to the phone number they gave you any suspicious activity.But please dont worry it wont help our predictament.Let the proper authorities do their job.They will find out what happened and possibly recover the info.

Answer 9

Report to the big three credit agencies to watch out for suspicious activity. And also follow their steps to remove you from "the list" for creditors to buy your report so they can send you credit offers while you are at it.

Good luck!

Answer 10

everybody got that letter. put an alert on your social security number with the three major credit report companies.