Rep. Stefanik introduces legislation to protect veterans from fraud
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Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., has introduced the VA Safe Holidays Act to protect veterans from identity theft and fraud.
In 2019 and 2020 alone, veterans reported over 201,000 cases of fraud and identity theft, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
“Our veterans have selflessly worked to protect our country, and now it is our turn to protect them from senseless crimes of fraud that can have detrimental impacts on their future,” Stefanik said. “I am proud to introduce this legislation that will bring resources and awareness to our veterans to protect them from the crimes of identity theft and fraud.”
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has an Identity Theft Helpline and posted website resources. However, there is not currently a clear strategy for promoting identity theft awareness or the best practices to help the veterans that have recently been subject to these crimes.
Specifically, this bill would:
• Designate the annual period of Nov. 1 through Jan. 15 as the period in which the VA would enhance its promotion of identity theft prevention resources, specifically targeting the holidays, when identify theft is even more of a risk; and
• Direct the VA to submit a plan to Congress detailing its efforts to promote awareness and assist veterans who experience identity theft within 90 days of this law’s enactment.
Read the full bill text here: https://stefanik.house.gov/_cache/files/6/9/69a0a494-8703-4ee3-9e89-27df6a467cca/A1334A3A335A6C06209D1DEF47E18DEF.vets-safe-holiday.pdf.
Rep. Elise Stefanik is a member of the House Armed Services Committee, the Committee on Education and Labor and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
In 2019 and 2020 alone, veterans reported over 201,000 cases of fraud and identity theft, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
“Our veterans have selflessly worked to protect our country, and now it is our turn to protect them from senseless crimes of fraud that can have detrimental impacts on their future,” Stefanik said. “I am proud to introduce this legislation that will bring resources and awareness to our veterans to protect them from the crimes of identity theft and fraud.”
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has an Identity Theft Helpline and posted website resources. However, there is not currently a clear strategy for promoting identity theft awareness or the best practices to help the veterans that have recently been subject to these crimes.
Specifically, this bill would:
• Designate the annual period of Nov. 1 through Jan. 15 as the period in which the VA would enhance its promotion of identity theft prevention resources, specifically targeting the holidays, when identify theft is even more of a risk; and
• Direct the VA to submit a plan to Congress detailing its efforts to promote awareness and assist veterans who experience identity theft within 90 days of this law’s enactment.
Read the full bill text here: https://stefanik.house.gov/_cache/files/6/9/69a0a494-8703-4ee3-9e89-27df6a467cca/A1334A3A335A6C06209D1DEF47E18DEF.vets-safe-holiday.pdf.
Rep. Elise Stefanik is a member of the House Armed Services Committee, the Committee on Education and Labor and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.