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Governor Rell Announces Upcoming Identity Theft
Prevention Seminars
Upcoming Seminars Scheduled for North Haven, Waterbury & Wallingford

June 13, 2006

Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that the Identity Theft Information Team that she created last month will be holding another round of identity theft prevention seminars this week to inform veterans and members of the military on how to protect themselves from being victims of identity theft.

The Governor ordered the creation of this special team after it was disclosed in May that the personal data – name, date of birth and Social Security numbers – of 26.5 million United States’ veterans was stolen from the home of an employee of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA). In some cases, the personal data also included phone numbers and addresses.

The federal DVA also recently announced that the personal data on as many as two million military members on active duty, members of the National Guard and members of the Reserve may also have been involved.

“There are thousands of veterans and military personnel in our state and I am committed to making sure they have the resources available to them to prevent their personal data from being used in a criminal way. The purpose of the Identity Theft Information Team is to reach out to all veterans and other military personnel – and their families – in Connecticut to advise them on the important steps they can take to protect themselves from being victims of identity theft,” Governor Rell said.

The Governor’s Identity Theft Information Team will hold the following seminars next week:

  • Tuesday, June 13 from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm at the North Haven Campus of Gateway Community College located at 88 Bassett Road in North Haven.
  • Thursday, June 15 from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm at the Naugatuck Valley Community College, in the auditorium, located at 750 Chase Parkway in Waterbury.
  • Thursday, June 15 from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm at the Wallingford Town Hall in the Town Hall Council Chambers, located at 45 South Main Street in Wallingford.
“The seminars we have held over the last couple of weeks have been very informative for veterans and their families. They are leaving these seminars with new information on identity theft and peace-of-mind knowing that the state of Connecticut is doing everything we can to help them,” Governor Rell said. “The Identity Theft Information Team will continue to travel the state to do just that.”
The Identity Theft Information Team is composed of staff from Connecticut’s Departments of Veterans Affairs, Public Safety, Consumer Protection and Banking. Agency commissioners or their representatives have been asked by the Governor to conduct seminars to inform veterans on how to monitor financial accounts and credit reports, update them of the steps they can take to prevent ID theft and correct any erroneous information involving this incident.
To date, the Governor’s Identity Theft Information Team has held seminars in Hamden, Rocky Hill, Bristol, West Hartford, Danielson and Groton.
The four agencies also provide information on identity theft for those who attend the ID theft seminars. Veterans looking for the latest information from the federal government about the loss of personal data may contact 1-800-FED-INFO (333-4636) or visit www.firstgov.gov  Veterans can also visit the state’s website at www.ct.gov to be linked to various resources to help them guard against identity theft.