OPM data breach – what should you do?

[Golden sunsets]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bingybear where have you been... got my notice a long time ago... but then my employment was in the 1980's for a month or two.

Got mine six months ago and again two weeks ago. I wonder if my info was stolen twice?

[ExFlyBoy5]

I got the letter today. Tried to sign up and it tells me they can't verify my information and to call. How annoying.

I think I will stick with my own method of keeping up with my information. I am probably a little better at it than the "lowest bidder" Uncle Sam went with.

[ExFlyBoy5]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bingybear where have you been... got my notice a long time ago... but then my employment was in the 1980's for a month or two.

The most recent breach was for information that folks provide on the security clearance application (SF-86/SF-85 or SF-85A). It's a LOT of information that is used to adjudicate clearances. It really sucks for those that had/have TS and above clearances...that is A LOT of information. The information may include:

Name
Fingerprints
SSN
Address
DOB and Location of Birth
Residency
Education
Employment History
Foreign Travel History
Information on Immediate Family
Business/Personal Acquaintances
And "Other" Information

This includes a total of about 22 million folks. If you had an investigation completed since about the year 2000, you may very well be included.

https://www.opm.gov/cybersecurity/cy.../#WhatHappened

[Tadpole]

Well my husband got a letter yesterday. I, the federal employee, have not received a letter yet. So far as we can remember the only link he would have with OPM would be through my employment. I have talked to OPM on another matter recently and they had one mistake in my record - my husband's last name. They said they would make the necessary corrections and notify me by snail mail when this was done. I have not received confirmation of the name change but the letter to my husband had his correct name. Maybe the attention I focused on him caused this cart-before-the-horse mail. I hope I see my letter soon. Good news is that they had the wrong name for my husband when the records were stolen.


The letter does not refer to his relationship as a spouse but covers him and dependent children, again, without mention of spousal coverage.


Anyone else got a spousal letter - if so, does it mention the employee coverage or relationship?

[OrcasIslandBound]

I got my OPM letter on Wednesday before Thanksgiving. I promptly signed up for the credit monitoring. Seems ridiculous that an agency that uses words like "secret" and "top secret" would have none.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

[Philliefan33]

DH is a retired fed with TS security clearance. He had his most recent background investigation done less than five years ago. In the past two weeks, we all (DH, DDs, and I) have received our letters from OPM. The wording is slightly different for employee/spouse/dependent. Mine says:

"If you applied for a position or submitted a background investigation form"...this stuff may have been compromised.

"If your information was listed on a background investigation form by a spouse or co-habitant"...this subset of stuff may have been compromised.

Poor DD2. When she got her letter, she was worried that she had messed up again and someone had access to her bank account (six years ago she got fooled by a scammer and gave out her bank logon info). She was sure DH was going to blame her for the breach.

[Tadpole]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philliefan33 "If your information was listed on a background investigation form by a spouse or co-habitant"...this subset of stuff may have been compromised. .

You are right, I see that paragraph now. Don't know how I missed it. Thanks. I guess I'll just sign him up and wait until the end of December to see if I get one. (They said three months in early October.) I am already on the one year monitor but husband isn't.

[Taxman59]

DS worked one summer at the CDC. His employer was a contractor, but he got his letter Friday from OPM. BTW, he just got his first full time j*b to start next week, hope nothing happens during his pre hire background check😳😱


Have the day you deserve, and let Karma sort it out.

Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

[Walt34]

DW and I both got our letters today. She was a federal employee over a decade ago and I worked for a federal contractor and had to have a security clearance.

Oh well.

[ziggy29]

What worries me most is the fingerprint information. At some point, who knows? Someone could use a 3D printer or some such, and plant phony fingerprints on a crime scene, or get into your accounts with a phony fingerprint scan. Seems unlikely, but you never know if someone might want to frame up someone else.

[kaudrey]

Yup, DH (the spouse) and I (the fed) got ours a few days ago. He'll be signing up - I did back in the summer....

[photoguy]

I just got my letter. I thought I was safe since I never worked for the US government but I probably got caught with the 22m other background checks.

It's really annoying because the only reason I had the background check done was so that I could meet with some collaborators at Ames. At the time, it was locked down to all non-US citizens. By the time I was cleared, the project was already over.