Customer Case Studies
Identity Theft and the Military
Upon further investigation, David discovered outstanding arrest warrants in the state of Illinois from crimes that were committed in his name while he was deployed. Additionally, David’s credit record showed over 20 fraudulent phone, visa and medical accounts, and was contacted by Chicago Health and Family Services for back child support he did not owe. David’s nightmare climaxed when his wages were garnished as a result of this identity theft.
Nearly a year after he first discovered that his identity had been compromised, David contacted ID Watchdog. After performing an exhaustive analysis of his personal data by running an ID SnapShot on his record, ID Watchdog actually discovered even more crimes against David’s identity. In addition to the fraud that David discovered on his own, ID Watchdog revealed that his identity had been inaccurately linked to an individual with a criminal history in Arizona.
After speaking with David about his experience, it became evident that his identity was probably compromised as a direct result of his military service. As he reported to ID Watchdog, David’s identifying information, such as his Social Security number, was often posted in public view, and was widely used as a military identification. In addition to publicly posted transfer orders and bunk assignments, government-issued military ID cards display Social Security numbers directly on the cards.
While ID Watchdog swiftly handled David’s case through our ID Rehab resolution service and has removed all fraudulent information from his records, it is important to note the vulnerability of our nation’s service men and women. While there is no surefire way to prevent identity theft, military personnel can safeguard themselves by paying close attention to the way their personal information is used, and to be aware of the public disclosure of any identifying details. In addition, there are some important steps to take prior to deployment. Informing creditors that you will be out of the country for an extended period of time can ensure that they take extra measures to verify your identity before issuing accounts. Also, by holding or forwarding your mail to a secure location, you avoid letting sensitive documents like bank statements from falling into the wrong hands.
A few preliminary measures can make it more difficult for an identity thief to obtain your information, but it can’t prevent identity theft from happening. Enrolling in ID Watchdog Plus, and allowing our patent-pending technology to scan thousands of databases every month, ensures that your information will always be monitored. ID Watchdog is here to look over your identity while you are focusing on more important matters, so that the risk of identity theft can easily move to the bottom of your priority list.
The last thing our active military men and women should have to worry about is having their identities compromised while serving our country.
David Hernandez can trace his identity theft case back to his military deployment in Japan. Upon returning home to Chicago from his service overseas, David received a billing notice for the repayment of a $4,500 loan taken out in his name. Although he knew nothing about this loan, David was responsible for the payments because it had been taken out using his information. Unfortunately, this was only the beginning of a slew of problems he faced in connection with identity theft.Upon further investigation, David discovered outstanding arrest warrants in the state of Illinois from crimes that were committed in his name while he was deployed. Additionally, David’s credit record showed over 20 fraudulent phone, visa and medical accounts, and was contacted by Chicago Health and Family Services for back child support he did not owe. David’s nightmare climaxed when his wages were garnished as a result of this identity theft.
Nearly a year after he first discovered that his identity had been compromised, David contacted ID Watchdog. After performing an exhaustive analysis of his personal data by running an ID SnapShot on his record, ID Watchdog actually discovered even more crimes against David’s identity. In addition to the fraud that David discovered on his own, ID Watchdog revealed that his identity had been inaccurately linked to an individual with a criminal history in Arizona.
After speaking with David about his experience, it became evident that his identity was probably compromised as a direct result of his military service. As he reported to ID Watchdog, David’s identifying information, such as his Social Security number, was often posted in public view, and was widely used as a military identification. In addition to publicly posted transfer orders and bunk assignments, government-issued military ID cards display Social Security numbers directly on the cards.
While ID Watchdog swiftly handled David’s case through our ID Rehab resolution service and has removed all fraudulent information from his records, it is important to note the vulnerability of our nation’s service men and women. While there is no surefire way to prevent identity theft, military personnel can safeguard themselves by paying close attention to the way their personal information is used, and to be aware of the public disclosure of any identifying details. In addition, there are some important steps to take prior to deployment. Informing creditors that you will be out of the country for an extended period of time can ensure that they take extra measures to verify your identity before issuing accounts. Also, by holding or forwarding your mail to a secure location, you avoid letting sensitive documents like bank statements from falling into the wrong hands.
A few preliminary measures can make it more difficult for an identity thief to obtain your information, but it can’t prevent identity theft from happening. Enrolling in ID Watchdog Plus, and allowing our patent-pending technology to scan thousands of databases every month, ensures that your information will always be monitored. ID Watchdog is here to look over your identity while you are focusing on more important matters, so that the risk of identity theft can easily move to the bottom of your priority list.
