The Federal Trade Commission has warned veterans of opening unsolicited emails, as a result of the recent data breach at the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.


The FTC has warned veterans of opening unsolicited emails, as a result of the recent data breach at the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

The FTC advises veterans and their families to keep a careful track of their personal information, including credit card numbers, bank account information, Social Security Numbers, and passwords.

According to the FTC, one of the techniques scammers use is phishing. Phishers send an email that appears genuine and requests the recipients to verify personal information. The phishing email then leads them to a malicious website.

The FTC has offered tips for veterans and their families. The tips include:

– Do not give out personal information over the phone, through mail or over internet, unless you initiate the contact or you can verify the contact.

– Never click on links in unsolicited emails. Instead type the web address that you are sure is genuine into the browser.

– Government agencies, including the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, and legitimate businesses do not contact people by email or telephone to confirm or ask for personal information, including Social Security Numbers.

LINKS:

For more information on FTC’s warning, click here.

For more information on the Federal Trade Commission, visit FTC.

 

 

 

 

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