VA Offers Free Credit Monitoring to Data Theft Victims

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced it will provide one year of free credit monitoring to persons whose personal information may have been stolen in the recent theft of a laptop computer from a VA employee's home.

"VA has conducted extensive market research on available credit monitoring solutions, and has been working diligently to determine how VA can best serve those whose information was stolen," said VA Secretary R. James Nicholson in a VA press release. "Free credit monitoring will help safeguard those who may be affected, and will provide them with the peace of mind they deserve."

The VA has established a toll free call center to assist potential victims of the data theft incident in obtaining credit monitoring and learning more about consumer-identity protections. The toll free number is 1-800-FED INFO (1-800-333-4636). The call center is operating from 8:00 am to 9:00 pm (EDT), Monday-Saturday as long as it is needed.

According to VA estimates, the data theft involved the personal information on 26.5 million veterans and as many as 50,000 active duty military personnel.

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