ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) – More than 19 million veterans could become potential targets for scam artists this week, according to the Better Business Bureau.
“Scammers use vet-oriented twists on phishing scams, impostor scams, and investment and loan deceptions,” says Dennis Horton, director of the Rockford Regional Office of BBB. “The goal is gaining access to identity information to attempt to get benefits the government provides to the veteran’s account.”
A top five scam impacting former military personnel is where a con artist poses as a veteran themselves, pretending to represent an organization or charity which supports other vets.
Another ploy is a phishing scam where cons pose as someone from the Veterans Administration (VA) and ask for personal information such as Social Security numbers to “update their records,” which is a lie.
Like all government agencies, the VA never calls to request personal information such as your Social Security number. The VA will also never ask for personal data by text or email.
For the public, along with Vets, Horton says to watch for red flags like charities that sound similar to more well-known ones; many fake veterans’ charities include the same words in different order or form, to appear legitimate.
And be wary of excessive pressure in fundraising; if someone is pressuring you to make an on-the-spot donation, they aren’t legitimate charities.
Before giving, check first for free with charity monitoring services such as…
