Governors Take Action on Personal Privacy

IL – Blagojevich Calls on VA to Provide Credit Checks: Governor Rod R. Blagojevich sent a letter to Secretary James Nicholson of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs calling on him to take immediate steps to protect veterans from identity theft and financial devastation after it was revealed that data belonging to millions of veterans nationwide had been stolen. The Governor also signed legislation that gives every Illinoisan the ability to freeze their credit, starting January 1, 2007, if they believe their personal information may have been compromised. Read more

KS – Sebelius Says Veterans Should Be Vigilant to Risk of ID Theft: The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced this week that personal information on more than 26 million veterans was on computer equipment stolen from an employee’s home. This theft puts these veterans at risk of identity theft, which is why Governor Kathleen Sebelius and the Kansas Commission on Veterans’ Affairs are warning veterans to be vigilant. “This is one of the biggest losses of personal information on record, and I encourage Kansas veterans to take steps to minimize their risk of falling victim to fraud,” said Sebelius. Read more

ME – Baldacci Reassures Veterans About Data Theft: In the wake of news that personal data on 26.5 million U.S. veterans was stolen from the Veterans Administration, Governor John Baldacci today reminded Maine consumers that state and federal laws provide tools to prevent identity theft or minimize its impact. “This is a serious breach of security, and we will demand to know how such a data theft could occur,” said the Governor.

MT – Schweitzer Encourages Veterans to Seek Information on Data Theft: The Governor’s Office and the Montana Veteran’s Affairs Office have learned that from the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) that there could be as many as 108,000 Montana veterans affected by the potential loss of personal information at the DVA. All veterans should be particularly alert to the possibility of fraud. Read more

WI – Doyle Urges Veterans to Protect Themselves Against Theft: The United States Department of Veterans Affairs announced Monday that the personal information, including social security numbers, of 26.5 million U.S. Veterans has been stolen. Governor Doyle urged veterans to take action now even though there is not yet any evidence that the information has been used improperly. “Veterans whose information was stolen are definitely at risk of identity theft and need to take action now to protect themselves,” Governor Doyle said. Read more

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