• Veterans: Protect yourself, your information from “phishing” attempts

    Veterans: Protect yourself, your information from “phishing” attempts

    It is important to remain vigilant in screening unknown e-mails, social media messages and phone calls to avoid phishing attempts and to recognize someone posing as VA or a Veteran service organization.

  • Veterans should remain on high alert for IRS impersonators

    Veterans should remain on high alert for IRS impersonators

    As tax-filing season begins, Veterans should be aware of people contacting them who claim to be from the Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury.

  • VA’s Privacy Service hosts event focused on protecting Veteran infomation

    VA’s Privacy Service hosts event focused on protecting Veteran infomation

    The mission of VA Privacy Service is to preserve and protect the Personally Identifiable Information (PII) of Veterans, their beneficiaries, and VA employees by promoting a culture of privacy awareness and maintaining the trust. The Privacy Service oversees and directs the development of VA’s privacy programs based on the Privacy Act of 1974 and makes recommendations to senior officials on privacy priorities. As the impact of privacy issues increase, VA’s Privacy Service implements strategies to meet those needs to ensure compliance with Federal and VA-specific privacy requirements.

  • Simple rules to help avoid identity theft and the holidays

    Simple rules to help avoid identity theft and the holidays

    VA is doing many things to prevent identity theft for Veterans, from mandatory training for all employees and contractors in cybersecurity awareness and privacy to eliminating the use of Social Security numbers in its business processes.

  • Veterans Employment Center Website: False Claim of Breach

    Veterans Employment Center Website: False Claim of Breach

    Last week, the story of an Airman who was targeted by an online job scammer was shared widely within our community. This story included a false claim that the Veterans Employment CenterTM (VEC) website was breached. I want to make it clear that there was no breach of information on the VEC site. The VEC puts the safety and security of Servicemembers, Veterans, and their families first by storing only general profile information, such as email addresses. The VEC does not store resumes, addresses, phone numbers, dates of separation, or any personally identifiable information (PII). VA reports all suspicious activity, suspected corporate fraud, or phishing activities immediately to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and we immediately referred this case to them once we discovered a Veteran had been targeted by an online job scammer.

  • Veterans and beneficiaries targeted for high-cost prescriptions

    Veterans and beneficiaries targeted for high-cost prescriptions

    VA has received multiple complaints from Veterans, beneficiaries and providers regarding unsolicited medical prescriptions from compounding pharmacies associated with VA Purchased Care Programs.

  • What Veteran information security and privacy mean to VA employees

    What Veteran information security and privacy mean to VA employees

    VA holds personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) for nearly 9 million Veterans, and we take that very seriously. We know that this sensitive information holds the key to the livelihood and well-being for those that have given so much to this country. Information security and privacy are top priorities for VA, and our employees treat protecting Veteran information as both a professional and personal concern.