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Wisconsin Guard warned of personal information threat

With the July 27 theft of a laptop computer from a National Guard Bureau contractor, jeopardizing the security of personal information for more than 1,700 Wisconsin National Guard soldiers, the need for all Wisconsin National Guard soldiers and airmen to safeguard against identity theft has never been more important.

The stolen laptop contained names, home and e-mail addresses and Social Security numbers of soldiers enrolled in the Army National Guard's Bonus and Incentives program. The Wisconsin National Guard was not involved in the compromise of data, but the Adjutant General, Brig. Gen. Donald Dunbar is urging affected soldiers to take immediate action to prevent identity theft. In addition, the Wisconsin National Guard is alerting soldiers this week of the incident and its potential threat.

The National Guard Bureau will also notify all affected personnel by letter by the end of next week, and has set up a special web page about the information security breach at http://ww.ng.mil/features/identity/default.aspx. In addition, a toll-free number launched Aug. 5 is available from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.: 1-877-481-4957.

In the meantime, Guard members can take the following steps to determine if their identity has been stolen:

Check credit reports such as Equifax (1-800-685-1111 or www.equifax.com), Experian (1-888-397-3742 or www.experian.com) and TransUnion (1-800-916-8800 or www.transunion.com)

Watch for unexpected bills, and also for routine bills that are late or missing.

 For a full story, read Friday's Janesville Gazette, read online in the Gazette’s E-Edition or check back at GazetteXtra.com.