BBB warns of scammers targeting veterans
This Veterans Day, as the nation honors the nearly 16 million men and women for their sacrifice and service, scammers look to target them, their families, and the general public.
These latest schemes are designed to exploit veterans and those donating to military charities. The BBB urges all veterans to remain vigilant and protect themselves from these deceitful cons.
“Scammers attempt to rip off former service members through phishing, vishing, and social media scams,” said Steve Bernas, BBB president and CEO. “This year, the Department of Veterans Affairs says a VA overpayment scheme heads the list of scams targeting veterans.”
How the scam works:
Con artists impersonating VA representatives via text, email, or phone claim you owe money for a benefit overpayment and demand immediate payment to them directly. A secondary goal is to get your Social Security number.
Other scams impacting veterans include:
• Veterans get a call and are told they qualify for money from “secret” government programs but must first pay a fee or provide personal information.
• Scammers exploit veterans in financial need by offering them cash up front in exchange for what they say will be a higher future disability or pension payment; all at a cost.
• Con artists attempt to charge veterans for access to their military records or government forms. All of those are free from the local VA office.
• The con artist, sometimes posing as soon-to-be-deployed service members, offer special deals for veterans on cars, electronics, and other products. They will want payment made by wire transfer (Western Union or MoneyGram). Once they get the money, the seller disappears, and the goods never arrive.
• Acting as rental agents, fake classified ads for rental properties are placed with discounts for veterans and their families. Targets are instructed to wire money as a security deposit for what turns out to be nonexistent property, or for property currently occupied by the owners.
Charitable donations:
If you plan to donate to a military-affiliated charity, here are some tips on how to avoid being scammed:
• Watch out for charities that sound similar to more well-known ones. Many fake veterans’ charities use the exact words in different orders or forms to appear legitimate.
• Look for a clear description of the organization’s programs in its appeals and on its website. If the charity says it’s helping veterans, does it explain how (financial assistance, shelter, counseling) and where it is doing so?
• Telemarketing can be a costly method of fundraising unless carefully managed. If called, do not hesitate to ask for written information on the charity and its finances before deciding.
• Don’t be pressured to make an immediate on-the-spot donation. Legitimate charities will welcome your gift whenever you want to send it.
• Before giving, check first for free with charity monitoring services like BBB’s Give.org.
• There are many actions veterans can take to protect themselves and their families from being ripped off, but the two most important are “think before you act” and “verify then trust.”
If you've encountered a scam, report it to BBB Scam Tracker. Sign up for BBB’s free consumer newsletter, BBB Edge, at BBB.org/ChicagoBuzz. Visit BBB.org or follow us @ChicagoBBB on social media. Look for the BBB seal, The Sign of a Better Business.