Hackers gain access to MyPay accounts

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Troy Davis
  • Det. 6, Air Force News Agency
LAJES FIELD, Azores (AFNEWS) --  Someone's identity is stolen every 10 seconds, according to the Federal Trade Commission, and servicemembers are not immune to this statistic.

There's been a recent rise in hackers attacking MyPay accounts, and most victims don't even know it.

Most of the stolen information is collected by software that tracks what you do on the computer, said Air Force network administrators. 

"Hackers can put keylogging software on your computer that records every keystroke you make," said Airman 1st Class Paul Granholm, a network administrator at Lajes Field. "When you log-on to any of your accounts, the software records your password, and hackers (use this) to gain entry."

Another way that information gets into the wrong hand is "phishing" e-mails. These cleverly disguised e-mails look like messages from legitimate companies, but clicking links in these messages can take people to false corporate Web sites that steals personal information.

"No company should ever ask you for personal information in an e-mail," Airman Granholm said. If you have any suspicions about an e-mail you receive, it's best to call the company." 

You can get more information on protecting your information at the MyPay Web site.

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