OT--Compromized Identity Notification? ?

Jiles · Dec 21, 2015

My wife received a notification from UNITED STATES OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMANT and it was addressed to her by her maiden name.
The letter had a pin number and the topic was about the cyber intrusion carried out against the U.S. Government, which resulted in the theft of background investigation records.
We have no remembrance of any kind of "background investigation" against her name in the past.
They are offering her FREE identity theft insurance, but
are asking her to enroll at https://www.opm.gov/cybersecurity to verify that she received this letter
She went to that site and if her identity has not been compromised --it will be after she submits all they are asking for!
Just don't trust anything anymore !

David G · Dec 21, 2015

You could have been hacked by even OPENING that email, NEVER open ANY email that you do not expect.

cool hand · Dec 21, 2015

Immediately discard/delete, and do not respond to anything of that nature! It is more than likely a scam, and could be a part of an attempt at identity theft!

IA Steve · Dec 21, 2015

It is not a scam. Most current and many former government employees personal information was hacked. I assume she got the letter in the postal mail and not email. If that is the case she should enroll. Again, it is real.

Wyokid · Dec 21, 2015

I got one also some time ago. If she ever worked for US government they do background checks on every employee, some more involved than others. Mine was legit. Our daughter also works for uncle sam and she was part of the security hack.

JMOR · Dec 21, 2015

(quoted from post at 12:20:50 12/21/15) My wife received a notification from UNITED STATES OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMANT and it was addressed to her by her maiden name.
The letter had a pin number and the topic was about the cyber intrusion carried out against the U.S. Government, which resulted in the theft of background investigation records.
We have no remembrance of any kind of "background investigation" against her name in the past.
They are offering her FREE identity theft insurance, but
are asking her to enroll at https://www.opm.gov/cybersecurity to verify that she received this letter
She went to that site and if her identity has not been compromised --it will be after she submits all they are asking for!
Just don't trust anything anymore !

orry, folks, but in this case it is legitimate. OPM was hacked & millions of people who have had government security clearances, family members or even references given by someone seeking a security clearance had their personal information stolen/compromised and this it an attempt by our government to help protect from harm, those who had their information stolen. The service is being paid for by the taxpayers of America.

Jiles · Dec 21, 2015

CORRECTION---
I tried to edit my post but wasn't allowed to do so.
This notification was received through [b:e48288be96]USPS MAIL [/b:e48288be96]not through eMail.
Sorry for the mistake.

coshoo · Dec 21, 2015

As a general rule, pay attention to anything you get through regular mail from the gubment. Scammers can send out a million emails for free, but would cost $490,000 in postage for regular mail. That fact pretty much takes regular mail off the table for scammers.

Pete in MD · Dec 21, 2015

Somewhere in the past someone used your wife as a reference on a background investigation application. I got the same letter probably for the same reason. My TS security clearance was cancelled in 1984 when I retired from the Navy so it's not from a background investigation of me.

Jiles · Dec 21, 2015

We will probably register.
Which would be safer for wife to submit all her personal information---website or telephone?
They gave her a choice.

Jiles · Dec 21, 2015

We were also concerned that it was addressed to her using her maiden name. Been married over fifty years and she is 68 years old. That gives the indication that anything background investigation related, would have been through her married name.

George by Geneva, NY · Dec 21, 2015

I got one of those last week--via USPS. Probably from when I worked for Army in the early 90's. Might check it out, but I am not too worried.

Dean · Dec 21, 2015

If she has worked for the federal government in the past, it's legitimate.

Indeed, those responding are compelled to submit a great deal of personal information in exchange for "protection" of questionable value.

Your call.

Dean

big fred · Dec 21, 2015

No, it probably is from your old clearance. I got one, but I had just had an investigation update on my clearance maybe 4 years ago. My wife also got one and she hadn't had a clearance since the mid 80s.

GordoSD · Dec 21, 2015

If any of her information was "stolen" that just means that it may have been read. Hackers don't usually remove data, just copy it. All they got from her at most was Maiden name and date of birth. And the caf? she waitressed as a teenager. She doesn't need to be in OPM anymore than I do.
If they failed to protect her data once why would you provide them with NEW data. They don't need ANY of her data now. DO NOT send the federal government any new information unless you plan to apply for a federal job.Forget about it.

Ian Beale · Dec 21, 2015

FYI

https://chiefio.wordpress.com/2015/12/13/dept-of-o-p-m-oh-joy-not/

Jiles · Dec 21, 2015

(quoted from post at 22:19:24 12/21/15) FYI

https://chiefio.wordpress.com/2015/12/13/dept-of-o-p-m-oh-joy-not/

Interesting-Thanks

SweetFeet · Dec 21, 2015

There has been a recent hack of some government data files - heard something on the news recently about it and they said the government would be sending a mailing to those affected...

BUT I'd still want to call a government agency and verify if what you received is legitimate government mail - because maybe the hackers got her maiden name too.

JMOR · Dec 21, 2015

(quoted from post at 15:58:21 12/21/15) If any of her information was "stolen" that just means that it may have been read. Hackers don't usually remove data, just copy it. All they got from her at most was Maiden name and date of birth. And the caf? she waitressed as a teenager. She doesn't need to be in OPM anymore than I do.
If they failed to protect her data once why would you provide them with NEW data. They don't need ANY of her data now. DO NOT send the federal government any new information unless you plan to apply for a federal job.Forget about it.

HAT?! Do you mean that you are reluctant to send the outfit that compromised you data in the first place, even more of your personal data? :roll:

dgasper · Dec 21, 2015

We see so many scams that when a legitimate message comes along we suspect it too.

3000OH · Dec 21, 2015

don't do anything yet on that site!!!!! first, go to the opm.gov site and look there for legit phone numbers & web
addresses to double check this. there were at least 2 hacks - and your wife could have been included on someone
else's security forms so her data could have been lost. BUT!!! there have also been some trolling attempts to get
people to give out their info.

mtny · Dec 21, 2015

There is a number you can call to verify . I worked in numerous federal installations in
the early 2000s . Lots of background checks . Wife and I both got seperate notices .
Pretty sure it's legit . Son also works for the feds .

Pete in MD · Dec 21, 2015

big fred,

Not sure if your reply was meant for me or the op.

The letter was from OPM. All my clearances were through DOD not OPM so I don't think the letter is connected in any with my previous clearance. As I said my clearance was closed in 1984.

My ex-wife works for the Navy in the "black world". I'm sure in my case I got the letter because my name and info was used as a reference in her periodic clearance updates.

Pete

GordoSD · Dec 22, 2015

How is giving the federal government personal information protecting yourself? From whom? How? Are the Feds going to come and give you lessons of some sort?

OT--Compromized Identity Notification? ?

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