AARP launches Veterans Fraud Center to combat an increase in Veteran Scams.

AARP created the AARP Veterans Fraud Center, a new online education and resource center, to help protect veterans, service members, and their families against fraud.

"With scammers trying to take advantage of the trust we have in the military community, military veterans and active-duty service members are at risk of being targeted." says Michael Festa, AARP Massachusetts State Director.

A recent report from the Federal Trade Commission found that Veterans, active-duty service members, and their families are 40% more likely to lose money to scams and fraud than the civilian population. The report found that these individuals lost more than $267 million in 2021, up from $122 million in 2020 (a 118% increase), according to the Federal Trade Commission.

The top scams aimed at Veterans include:

• Benefit Buyouts or turning over U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) pension and/or disability benefits for a supposed lump-sum payment that never materializes.
• Fraudulent records scam: paying for updated personal military records.
• Fake Charitable Giving Request: donating to fake veteran charities.

For more information, visit www.aarp.org/vetsfraudcenter.