Scammers targeting veterans
As we remember the sacrifices of our service members, the BBB has issued a scam alert warning about scammers targeting veterans. FOX 13’s Genevieve Curtis reports.
“It's absolutely deplorable what they are trying to do is scam the veterans,” Porath said.
Military community fraud tactics
Consumer advocates say one of the most common scams involves fake emails, phone calls, or text messages claiming there is a problem with a veteran's benefits. Some messages falsely tell veterans they were overpaid by the Department of Veterans Affairs and need to return money, while others claim direct deposit information needs to be verified or that a payment is required to keep benefits active.
Financial losses from fraud
While the exact number of local service members affected this month remains unclear, tracking systems show a continuous rise in reported military fraud.Â
Military records exploited
According to the Federal Trade Commission, military consumers reported losing $684 million to fraud last year. Experts say scammers can use publicly available military records and cross-reference them with enrollment or benefits information to make their scams appear more legitimate.
Recurring military schemes
The Better Business Bureau warns against several recurring scams targeting the military community:
Protecting personal information
Those working to protect veterans say the warning signs are often the same as other scams, including unsolicited calls, requests for money, threats, or promises that sound too good to be true.Â
Advocates say never wire money or use applications like Zelle or Cash App to send money to anyone. Anyone who accepts gift cards or cryptocurrency as payment is also likely a scammer.
