SERVING
Those That
SERVED
Scams
Jury Duty Scam
August 10, 2016
A group of con artists are currently contacting veterans stating that the veteran missed jury duty and now the veteran must pay a fine ranging from $500 - $1000. Here’s how the scam works. The thieves are posing as police officers from the neighborhood or city where the veteran resides, and the thieves are using real badge numbers, and real police officer names from the police force in the veterans’ city. If the veteran refuses to pay, the thieves threaten to stop disability payments or threaten to have the veterans wages garnished. Do Not Be Alarmed! This is a scam!
Mystery Gadget Ripping Off Veterans
August 20, 2016
Veterans appear to be the latest targets for a crime that’s baffled law enforcement agencies everywhere. Lately, the criminals particularly like VA, CBOC, and Vet Center parking lots to commit their crimes. All over America, criminals are using improvised electronic devices to electronically unlock vehicles and steal whatever they find inside. These “mystery gadgets” reportedly recreate the same signals that the key fobs that so many of us carry around send out. Footage is popping up nationwide of thieves using these “mystery gadgets” to remotely unlock car doors and disable alarm systems. Once a car has been unlocked, it takes these thieves just a few moments to take what they want before leaving without a trace. This is now happening all over the country, and authorities do not know any way to prevent it from happening. For now, the most common piece of advice that police are giving to veterans and the general public is to not leave any valuables inside your vehicle at all.
Current Scams Targeting Veterans
September 5, 2016
VA Phishing Scheme: A scammer will call you claiming to be from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The scammer claims he needs to “update” your information on record with the VA. In many cases, the scammer may have your social security number or ask you to verify your social security number. Warning: This scam has shown to be highly effective, in that, thousands of veterans have already fallen prey to this scam.
Fake Sales: A scammer will claim to be an active duty servicemember who publishes a large ticket item on an online classified website or a local newspaper. The scammer will indicate that he needs to sell the item right away and at a significant discount. The scammer will suggest in the ad that the item may be beneficial for a veteran. The scammer will ask for upfront payment that requires a wire transfer or gift card.
Investment Guidance: An “adviser” will tell the veteran she is missing out on major benefits, and wants to review her investment portfolio. He’ll then want to put the veteran’s investments in a trust, to give the appearance that the veteran has fewer assets, and will make them eligible for an additional pension.
Real Estate Swindle: A scammer will post a phony rental property on a classified ad website or local newspaper offering military or veteran discounts. The scammer will require you to wire transfer a substantial security deposit to the landlord to secure the property and to quickly take advantage the discount.
Bogus Charities: Very similar to the “VA Phishing Scheme,” the bogus charities scam will present with names that are close to the names of legitimate charities, often referencing names veterans are familiar with, such as, Armed Forces, Operations, Military, Warrior, Patriot, or some name or phrase that has a military tone. The scammers will often ask for donations or if you are interested in becoming a member to their phony organization. The scammers will publish phony websites used to convince you they are legitimate. Additionally, the scammers will use phony background noise to give the impression to you they are calling from a large call center. Warning: This scam has shown to be highly effective, in that, thousands of veterans have already fallen prey to this scam.
Cash Buyout: Scammers will target veterans who are in need of money immediately by offering cash in exchange for their future disability or pension payments. These buyouts are typically a fraction of the value of the benefit. For example, scammers typically use a so-called formula based scheme that will provide a veteran $50,000 in cash. The veteran will sign over all future monthly payments to the scammer in exchange for the cash. A 55 year-old veteran rated at 40% from the VA, and who lives to 75 years-old will have lost $106,326 in the transaction.
