Scam Targeting Veterans Hitting the Area

According to the AARP, veterans are twice as likely as members of the general public to be the victim of a scam.

Scammers have recently stepped up efforts to get military service members and members of their families to turn over private information and money.  That’s probably because the Memorial Day weekend has military service on the minds of most people, dovetailing with a call from someone claiming to be from a service organization.

These scammers especially target elderly veterans but it’s not just veterans or even current military service members, their family members are targets too.  These con artists go after anyone receiving military benefits.

This particular phishing scam typically begins with a call from someone claiming to be from the Veterans Affairs office, saying they need to update your benefit information or trying to sell you on a loan that’s discounted for veterans and their families.  

They’ll try to keep the victim on the phone to extract as much information as possible, and if they can dig personal, private information out of that individual, such as a social security number, military ID, banking and/or credit card information and so on, they can use that to wipe out your bank account in a matter of minutes and run up a mountain of debt almost as quickly.

Remember, the bottom line is – the Veterans Administration contacts veterans and families by mail, NOT BY PHONE, for any personal information requests.

(AM1180 Chattooga County Radio)

Veterans Targeted By Swindlers More Often Than Others

Swindlers and con-artists have a long history of targeting soldiers, often leveraging the veteran’s sense of duty and loyalty to fellow veterans. But while preying on veterans is not a new development, the frequency we’re seeing in America today is perhaps unprecedented.

Today, according to a survey conducted by the National Opinion Research Center, veterans are victimized by scam artists twice as often as the general public. Further, the Fraud Watch Network’s recent survey showed 16 percent of veterans have lost money to fraudsters, compared to 8 percent of non-veterans. And 80 percent of veterans surveyed said they have encountered scams directed specifically to veterans.

“Unfortunately, the men and women who bravely served our country have become a prime target of telephone and online thieves,” said AARP chief executive officer Jo Ann Jenkins. “While Veterans are bombarded by the same scam pitches we all receive, our research found that they’re also under special attack by a number of additional scams tailored just for them.”

Partnership to Help Prevent Veterans From Being Scammed

The AARP Fraud Watch Network and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service have partnered in the launch of Operation Protect Veterans — a national campaign to warn veterans about scams and fraud schemes that target those who have served in the military.

Some of the scams that Operation Protect Veterans is warning veterans about are:

  • The benefits buyout offer. Scammers offer an upfront payment of cash in exchange for a veteran’s future disability or pension payments. These buyouts are typically a fraction of the value of the benefit.
  • The fake charitable giving request. Scammers make fraudulent claims about charitable giving that benefits veterans or wounded service members.
  • Charging for records. A scammer attempts to charge for access to a veteran’s military records or government forms. Never pay for your records, all information is free through your local VA.
  • VA phishing. Scammers call veterans claiming they work for the VA and ask for personal information to update their records. If you get an unsolicited call from the VA, hang up.
  • Employment scams. Con artists post bogus job offers to recruit veterans on various online job boards. The scammer may use or sell your personal information provided in the job application. It’s likely a scam if you have to pay to get the job, you need to supply credit card or banking information, or the ad is for “previously undisclosed” federal government jobs.

https://www.military.com

 

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