Nearly three times as likely to report identity theft and that someone used a debit card or some other electronic means to take money directly from their bank account
Active duty servicemembers are 76 percent more likely than other adults to report identity theft or that that an identity thief compromised on of their accounts such as their bank account or one of their credit card. This is according to the Federal Trade Commission’s latest Consumer Protection Data Spotlight.
The report is based on complaints submitted by consumers to the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel Network. The report, also shows that active duty servicemembers are nearly three times more likely to report that someone used their debit card or some another hack to take money directly from their bank account without their permission.
Servicemembers are also are 22 percent more likely to report that the information that was stolen was used to open new fraudulent accounts, especially new credit card accounts.
Securing personal information may present special challenges for active duty troops. The Spotlight reports that nearly 14 percent of active duty servicemembers who reported identity theft said it was a family member or someone they knew misused their identity. This is compared to just 7 percent of other adults. The report also suggest that this often happens when people have access to documentation or other financial records that were left behind during military assignments.
MilitaryConsumer.gov is a resource for servicemembers, veterans, and their families to avoid scams and manage money.
