A bipartisan, MOAA-supported bill expanding free credit monitoring services to all armed forces personnel passed the Senate on Nov. 13 and will move to the House as part of a crowded legislative calendar for the remainder of the 118th Congress.

The Servicemembers’ Credit Monitoring Enhancement Act (S. 1316), would update federal law to allow all members of the armed services to receive this service, which currently is available only to active duty members. The bill, introduced by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), and Steve Daines (R-Mont.), passed by unanimous consent.

“Every servicemember deserves access to the tools they need to accomplish their mission and defend our country,” said Cory Titus, MOAA’s director of Government Relations for Currently Serving Affairs. “MOAA thanks Senators Klobuchar, Cramer, Carper, and Daines for supporting the reserve component and closing a loophole that left some unprotected.”

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Klobuchar said the legislation “will improve the financial security of military families and give them greater piece of mind,” while Daines noted the “endless sacrifices to protect our country” made by servicemembers and families – “the last thing they should have to worry about is identity theft or fraud issues,” he added.

Active duty members can learn more about accessing the current monitoring program by contacting one of the three nationwide credit bureaus.

Tracking Scams

MOAA has worked on several fronts to keep its members and others in the wider uniformed services community safe from such attacks. In addition to pursuing legislation, the association has:

• Partnered with the Cybercrime Support Network’s Military and Veteran Program, which aims to protect servicemembers, veterans, and military families from falling victim to fraud.
• Offered regular updates at MOAA.org on the progression of scam and fraud techniques, especially as they affect servicemembers and veterans.
• Produced a series of webinars (available to MOAA Premium and Life members) on the topic to increase awareness and offer guidance on reducing fraud risk: An Overview of Scams and Frauds | Outsmart the Scammers: How to Spot and Avoid Financial Fraud | Protecting Yourself From Cybercrime and Scams.

[THREE-PART MOAA SERIES: Don’t Be Scammed]

MOAA will engage with House members in the coming weeks in support of S. 1316, which not only forwards our work in fraud protection but continues our long-term legislative priority of benefits parity among the service components. Keep track of this bill’s progress, as well as other ongoing MOAA legislative efforts, by registering with our Legislative Action Center.