Beware of Scams Pretending to Help Veterans

• Fake charities use the same techniques as trusted charities to reach you—in person, by mail, over the phone, online, by text, or by e-mail—so be mindful across all of these methods.
• The name of the fake veteran charity may closely resemble the name of a real charity.
• The fake charity might ask you to wire money, donate by gift card or give cash—see this as a red flag.

What You Should Know:

• Real veteran charities need your support, and they, like us, lose out when a scammer steals our donation and diverts resources away from legitimate organizations.
• Scammers will put pressure on you to act quickly, before you have a chance to think through your decision or do any research.

What You Should Do:

• When you do donate to a charity, use a check or credit card and keep records.
• If you are approached in person, ask for identification and details about the charity, including its full name and address, and how they will use the funds. If the person cannot furnish this information, close your door or walk away.
• Easily check out a charity before you give money to one. See how at www.ftc.gov/charity.

When it comes to fraud, vigilance is our number one weapon. You have the power to protect yourself and your loved ones from scams. Please share this alert with friends and family.