Memorial Day is a time of remembrance. We pause to honor the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our country, protecting the freedoms we often take for granted. But even as we look back with gratitude, there’s value in looking forward—and taking action to protect something we often overlook: our digital lives.
In today’s world, cybersecurity is a form of civic duty. With identity fraud and cybercrime at record highs, safeguarding your personal information isn’t just a smart move; it’s a way to defend yourself, your family, and even your community from a growing threat that respects no holiday.
Why Cybercriminals Love Holidays
Long weekends like Memorial Day are prime targets for fraudsters. As people shift their attention to travel plans, shopping deals, and social media posts, cybercriminals see an opportunity. Identity theft reports often spike around holidays, when vigilance tends to drop and spending increases.
From phishing emails disguised as patriotic promotions to fake veteran donation sites, scammers tailor their tactics to tug at heartstrings and wallets. A few wrong clicks can result in stolen Social Security numbers, drained bank accounts, or fraudulent benefits claims—all without your knowledge.
Veterans and Military Families: High-Value Targets
For service members and veterans, the risks are even higher. Their data often lives in multiple federal and state systems, making them frequent targets of breach-related fraud. Benefits fraud, medical identity theft, and account takeover schemes targeting military families have all increased in recent years.
Sadly, even the identities of deceased veterans can be exploited. Posthumous identity theft—when criminals use the identities of the deceased to open lines of credit or commit tax fraud—is a growing issue, and Memorial Day is a sobering reminder that protecting a legacy is part of honoring one.
Reflection Should Spark Action
Just as Memorial Day calls us to remember the sacrifices made for our safety, it’s also a chance to recommit to protecting what matters, starting with our identities. Taking small steps, such as staying alert to scams, enabling two-factor authentication, and avoiding unsecured Wi-Fi while traveling, can go a long way.
Better yet, consider enrolling in identity restoration services—especially for veterans and their families. These services don’t just monitor threats; they help restore what’s lost in the event of identity theft. For those who’ve served, that peace of mind is something they’ve more than earned.
A Modern Form of Respect
Honoring our fallen heroes means living in a way that respects their legacy. That includes looking out for one another—online and off. So, this Memorial Day, while you fly the flag, light the grill, or visit a memorial, take a moment to secure your digital life.
LibertyID Business Solutions provides customer WISP protocols, advanced information security employee training, third-party vendor management tools, and post-breach regulatory response and notification services. This allows businesses to improve the safeguards surrounding their consumers’ private data and head toward a compliant posture in relation to the federal FTC and often overlooked state regulations. Along with the components mentioned, LibertyID Business Solutions includes our gold-standard identity fraud restoration management services for employees and their families.