Don’t Be a Victim of Identity Theft or Telephone Fraud

Since 09-05-06

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Subject: Don’t Be a Victim of Identity Theft or Telephone Fraud

http://www.tricare.osd.mil/pressroom/news.aspx?fid=228

Don’t Be a Victim of Identity Theft or Telephone Fraud

August 29, 2006
No. 06-35

FALLS CHURCH, Va. – Recently a TRICARE beneficiary reported a possible telephone scam involving someone asking for personal bank account information. This appears to
be an incident of phone fraud and is not a security breach or incident. Sam Jenkins, TRICARE Management Activity’s Privacy Officer says personal or financial information should never be given to anyone who calls you or comes to your home uninvited, claiming they are collecting fees or other funds on behalf of TRICARE or selling TRICARE-related products.

“Only give personal information when you have made the contact—for example calling
one of the TRICARE toll-free customer service numbers or visiting a TRICARE Web site,” Jenkins says. “TRICARE will never contact you to ask for your financial information.” He adds that TRICARE will only request this information when you initiate the call, and then only when it is appropriate.

Protect your personal information

If you think someone is misusing your personal information, contact the Federal Trade Commission’s ID Theft Hotline at 1-877-438-4338 to make a report. If you receive
a call of this nature from someone identifying themselves as a TRICARE representative, please let us know by writing to:

TRICARE Management Activity
ATTN: Privacy Office
5111 Leesburg Pike, Suite 810
Fall Church, VA 22041

You should also contact the fraud departments of the three consumer reporting
companies to place a fraud alert on your credit report. The fraud alert tells creditors to contact you before opening any new accounts or making changes to your existing accounts. Once  you place the fraud alert in your file, you may order free copies of your credit reports.

We have posted contact information for all three companies, along with more tips and a
list of resources to help you protect your identity, on the TRICARE Web site at, www.tricare.osd.mil/factsheet/fraud.cmf