Opinion: Military at greater risk for identity theft
A paper by four senior Army officers and members of the faculty at West Point says the military’s use of social security numbers and other personal data put...
A paper by four senior Army officers and members of the faculty at West Point says the military’s use of social security numbers and other personal data put servicemembers at greater risk of identity theft than most Americans, Gov Info Security reports.
Furthermore, the officers say the problem is compounded by an uninformed, sometimes cavalier attitude toward the military’s PII system. The problem is magnified for those deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq.
The authors also say that identity theft that happens through PII often occurs after a soldier dies, creating immense problems for surviving family members.
The paper lists a dozen examples of the military’s misuse of PII. It also lists six common misconceptions about how the military protects and employs personal information.
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