Good Morning Veterans, Family, and Friends, welcome back to the TWENTY-FIRST EPISODE of the Veteran Doctor. On this week's episode, we will discuss Scams Targeting Veterans. We will also have our Veteran News, so stick around for some great stuff ahead in our program!
Veterans deserve many things: Praise. Honor. Security. Respect. Here’s what they don’t deserve: attempts to take advantage of their service. Yet every day, scammers attempt to swindle our veterans of their hard-earned benefits, steal their identity, take their life savings, and worse.
According to an AARP survey, veterans are twice as likely to fall victim to scams as the population at large. Some scammers offer veterans the opportunity to refinance Veterans Affairs (VA) loans at extremely low rates. Others will pose as government agencies in order to access personal information, or offer lump sum payments up front, in exchange for signing over all their future monthly benefit checks. There have even been instances where scammers will create fake charities that target veterans or pretend to be old friends offering “sure thing” investments.
Why are veterans so susceptible to these particular scams?
For starters, veterans implicitly trust fellow members of the military, making them vulnerable to imposters claiming to be veterans themselves. Sometimes, because of their military experiences, veterans also find it more difficult to recognize and combat the emotional manipulation used by scam artists.
That’s why the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and AARP joined forces to create Operation Protect Veterans, and provide valuable information and resources that veterans, their loved ones, and their friends can use to help protect against scammers.
Together, we can fight back and take one small step to repay our veterans for the service they’ve given and the sacrifices they’ve made.
Secret Veteran Benefits Scam
Veterans are told they qualify for “secret” government programs or benefits that offer thousands of dollars – but first, they attempt to collect personal information or a fee.
Fake Charitable Giving Request
Scammers make fraudulent claims about charities benefitting wounded service members.
Benefits Buyout Offer
Scammers take advantage of veterans in need by offering a quick upfront buyout – usually at a fraction of the value – of future disability or pension payments.
Veterans Affairs (VA) Loan Scams
Scammers offer to refinance Veterans Affairs loans at extremely low rates.
Bogus Employment Scam
Scammers post fake job descriptions to collect personal information from a veteran’s job application, or they charge an employment fee.
Fraudulent Records Offer
Scammers try to charge veterans a fee to access military records or government forms—information that is actually available for free through the National Archives (for military records) and VA.gov or local Veterans Affairs offices (for forms).
Veteran Affairs (VA) Phishing Scam
Scammers pose as Veterans Affairs employees to get access to personal information.
Update your File Scam
An imposter claiming to be from a government agency attempts to get a veteran’s personal information to “update their file” so they can maintain their benefits.
Aid and Attendance Scam
Veterans (or their family members) receive an offer to move their assets into a living trust so that they can qualify for financial assisted-living benefits.
Veterans Choice Program Scam
Scammers set up a phone number nearly identical to the number veterans dial to find out if they are eligible to use approved health care providers outside of the Veterans Affairs system. Veterans call the fake number and a message prompts them to leave their credit card information in return for a rebate. Make sure to dial the correct number for the VCP: 866-606-8198.
GI Bill Education Marketing Scam
Scammers use deceptive marketing tactics and provide false information to push expensive for-profit educational institutions to veterans seeking to take advantage of the GI Bill for college courses. The Veterans Affairs offers a comparison tool to help you locate a school and determine your benefits. Visitwww.vets.gov/education/gi-bill.
Special Deals for Veterans Scam
Scammers offer special discounts for veterans on a range of products, like loans and car purchases, but the products aren’t discounted at all, or they don’t actually exist.
Rental Scam
A scammer posts a fake rental property on a classified ad website offering discounts for active duty military and veterans. Once they have your security deposit, you find out there is no rental property and your money is gone.
Romance/”Catfishing” Scam
Scammers steal a veteran’s photo and create a phony profile on a dating site to “catfish” singles looking for love.
Most Common Scams Targeting Veterans, by State
Alaska
Alabama
Arkansas
Arizona
California
Colorado
Connecticut
DC
Deleware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Iowa
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Massachusetts
Maryland
Maine
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Mississippi
Montana
North Carolina
North Dakota
Nebraska
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
Nevada
New York
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Puerto Rico
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Virginia
Vermont
Washington
Wisconsin
West Virginia
Wyoming
Unknown
Here what you should never do in these situations:
These are things you should always do in these situations
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