Under Fire – New survey shows veterans are twice as likely to be victimized by scam artists

We’re all too familiar with how pervasive scams are in today’s marketplace.  Whether it’s the IRS Imposter Scam, the Tech Support Scam, or that winning lottery check waiting for you – just pay shipping and handling…

But according to a new survey, con artists may be saving the worst of their pitches for a special group of Americans – those who have served our country.

The new nationwide survey by AARP shows that military veterans are falling prey to scams twice as often as the general public. To make matters worse, scammers are serving up a special battery of scams directed specifically towards veterans and their years of service.

Scammers call retired and active soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen, claiming to be from official government offices.  They may offer access to special veteran’s-only benefits, or offers to refinance VA loans at rock-bottom rates. Or maybe it’s just a simple request to update a veteran’s military file.  Regardless of the ploy, all they are doing is trying to find a way to steal veteran's personal information and their hard earned money.

“If there’s one thing we know about scammers, it’s that their just as heartless as they are diabolical,” said AARP State Director Doug Shadel.  “With advances in technology, scam artists have become much more sophisticated at tailoring their pitches and zeroing in on their targets.”

In addition to showing how deliberate targeting may be leading to higher victimization rates among veterans, the survey also explored how veteran scam victims differ from the general public.  For instance veteran scam victims say they are more likely to trust a person who has previously served in the military, plus they are more likely to donate to charitable fundraisers who claim to be supporting our servicemen and veterans.

“To a savvy con-artist, stolen valor can be an extremely effective tool,” said Shadel.  “We’ve heard from a number of former and current scam artists who tell us they specifically target vets with false claims of military service brotherhood, or that they know patriotism among vets can be a powerful window in to their hearts and wallets.”

To combat the growing problem of scams targeting veterans, AARP joined the U.S. Postal Inspection Service to launch “Operation Protect Veterans.”  The

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organizations are asking veterans and their families to look for suspicious emails, phone calls or traditional mail that target veterans and REPORT IT!

Even if you or your loved ones didn’t fall for the scam, please still report it – we need to know what con-artists are up to so we can better protect each other.

Consumer experts are aware of some recent veteran’s scams, but we need to know just how pervasive they are and if there are any new approaches we need to be on the lookout for.  Some examples include:

• Government Grant Program - An offer for you to take advantage of a little-known government program for military that could result in thousands of dollars in increased benefits.
• Cash for VA Payments - An offer to receive an immediate, large lump sum of cash in return for signing over your monthly VA or disability benefits
• Tax Debt Relief - An offer for veterans to reduce taxes you may owe
• Student Loan - An offer for you to go back to school and have it paid for because of your military service
• Medical Bills Help - An offer to receive help with medical bills because of your military service
• Drug Discounts - An offer for you to get help paying for prescription drug medication because of your military service
• Help with Assisted Living - An offer to help you qualify for nursing home or assisted living benefits because of your military service
• Free Back, leg or arm brace - An offer to pay for a free back brace, arm brace or leg brace because of your military service.
• Cremation or Burial Services - An offer to purchase cremation or burial services at a discount because of your military service.

We fear these scams are just the tip of the iceberg, and that the scammers have many more tricks up their sleeves.  Please report these and any other scams you know of that target veterans.

You don’t need to have absolute proof that an offer is fraud to report it. If you see something suspicious, send us an email describing the potential scam to protectveterans@aarp.org. Or simply call 1 855-800-9023 and leave a detailed message.

Your reports will be held in confidence by AARP and will be used for consumer education purposes only. Your name will not be made public.  More information is also available at www.aarp.org/ProtectVeterans.

 

SCAMMERS TARGETING VETERANS

To see an example of the toll these scammers can take, watch the story below about U.S. Veteran Chad Wright. Chad suffered a life-changing injury while serving in the military, but things took a turn for the worse when he was targeted by unscrupulous scammers in a buyout offer of his veterans benefits.