As thousands of Southern Arizona veterans await further word on their potential risk for identity theft, some are being targeted by sales agents peddling identity-theft insurance.
Leaders of Tucson's two largest Veterans of Foreign Wars posts are taking exception to the pitches, which they see as opportunistic.
"Suddenly, they've got a whole new audience they can go after," said Johnnie Hoskins, commander of VFW Post 549, a few blocks north of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.
Hoskins said he recently was visited by two agents of a firm offering to insure his post's 1,450 members for $12.95 a month each — a potential total of nearly $19,000 a month.
The sales pitches started about a week ago, he said, shortly after the Department of Veterans Affairs disclosed that sensitive personal information of 26.5 million veterans was compromised during a May 3 break-in at the residence of a VA staffer who took data home without authorization.
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The stolen data included veterans' names, birth dates, Social Security numbers and, in some cases, phone numbers, addresses, spousal information and disability ratings.
It isn't clear whether the thief realizes the value of the information or whether it can even be accessed because of the way it was stored, according to one internal VA report.
Still, the VFW and other groups have been sounding the alarm, urging veterans to beware of any signs of suspicious activity in their banking or credit dealings.
"Until you are contacted by the VA, every veteran should assume that they are affected by this," said a statement released Friday by James Mueller, the VFW's national commander.
Southern Arizona is home to more than 120,000 veterans, according to the VA. Those most likely to be affected include veterans who separated or retired since 1975; older vets who filed for disability claims, GI Bill benefits or VA home loans; World War II vets who took part in mustard gas experiments; and National Guard and Reserve members who formerly served on active duty.
The VFW said that as a precaution, all veterans should place a free three-month fraud alert on their credit files. The group also is pushing the VA to pay for ongoing credit monitoring and to pick up the tab for any vets who become victims of credit fraud.
Hoskins, whose VFW post is the largest in Tucson, said local vets are still awaiting formal word on whether they were among those affected. The VA is said to be in the process of mailing out millions of notices, a task complicated by the sheer number of envelopes required.
"For a lot of veterans, it probably won't be real to them until they get the letter in the mail," Hoskins said.
Pepe Mendoza, a spokes-man for the VA hospital in Tucson, said he has received several dozen calls in recent days from vets worried about the situation.
Many are elderly and do not have computers, so they can't access Web sites the VA set up to provide information on the data theft. He has been passing out the toll-free VA phone number.
Fred Vigil, commander of the Midtown VFW Post 4903, Tucson's second-largest, said his 700-plus members also are still in the dark about their status.
He said he also received a visit Friday from an agent who tried to sign him up for the $12.95-a-month insurance policy, which offers benefits such as credit monitoring and help repairing damaged credit if a policyholder is victimized.
Vigil, who was an insurance agent himself for 30 years, wasn't buying it and said he questions whether it is necessary.
State Attorney General Terry Goddard said veterans should examine such offers closely and check into what help may be available elsewhere for free. Some banks already pay to untangle the mess if an account holder is victimized, Goddard said.
● The Department of Veterans Affairs has a hot line (1-800-333-4636) and a Web site (www.firstgov.gov).
● To place a fraud alert on a credit file, contact one of the following:
Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
Experian: 1-888-397-3742
TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289
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