Nov. 10, 2021
Carson City, NV – Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford wants
Nevadans to be aware of the warning signs of various scams targeting military
members, veterans and their families during Military Family Month.
“Members of the military and their families
have sacrificed much for this country, but there are those who unfortunately
want to exploit those who have served,” said AG Ford. “These types of scams may target their hard-earned
benefits or may be specifically designed to take advantage of the military way
of life. Some of these are twists on schemes targeting civilians. My Office of
Military Legal Assistance is here to help provide guidance to military members,
including learning about scams and ways to avoid them."
Common Scams
Targeting Military Families
One way that scammers may target veterans or
military members is by posing as fellow veterans or organizations that support
them in order to gain their trust; this is known as an affinity scheme.
One common form of this type of scheme is
through a fake charity scam. These fake charities take advantage of donors’
willingness to help members of the military. Their communications may adopt
similar names as legitimate, well-known charities. They may also take the form
of sham political action committees (PACs), which claim to be supporting
veterans or other similar political causes but use the money for something else
or keep the money for those running it.
Other types of affinity scams involve those
offering health care services for veterans or active-duty personnel and their
families. They may contact military members and their families claiming to
offer assistance related to COVID-19 or other medical services. The scammer may
also be an imposter posing as a member of the Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA), asking to update a person’s Social Security numbers or other records. This
is really a ploy to gain personal information.
Scammers may also offer discounts to
military members for cars, electronics or other products that require
installments. While the products may appear to be discounted, the items might
carry a hefty interest rate, or the price of the item may be inflated beyond
normal retail value. Still other scammers may ask for payments by wire, and the
products may never arrive once the payment is sent.
Some scams may target families looking for
housing quickly near a military base. These types of scammers may pose as real
estate agents and post fake ads for properties, sometimes offering incentives
for military families. Often, they ask for fees and deposits up front, sight
unseen. The potential renters then end up with no place to live and lost money
on the deposits.
Tips for
Avoiding Scams
Overall, staying vigilant and taking the
time to do research before sending money or sharing your personal information
can help you and your family avoid scams. The Office of the Nevada Attorney
General Bureau of Consumer Protection also offers the following tips:
- Do not give in to
high-pressure donation tactics for charities or high-pressure sales tactics for
goods or services. Legitimate organizations and businesses will work on your
timetable;
- Before donating to a
charity or PAC, ask how many service members the organization helps, details on
the organization’s mission and how much money it spends on programs rather than
on overhead and fundraising;
- Use an internet
search engine to search for the charity. The same is true for businesses you
are unfamiliar with, or any real estate company or other seller with whom you
are planning to work. Find out if others have reported any problems with the
business and if the business or charity is established and legitimate. Check on
the credentials of investment advisers;
- Do not make payments
or donations by wire transfer or gift card. In general, these types of payments
should be treated as cash; once they are gone, they are hard to trace and
cannot be recovered;
- Do not give
sensitive information such as credit cards, account numbers or Social Security
numbers over the phone, via text, or via email unless you are completely
certain of the other person’s identity; and
If you have any questions about your VA
benefits, consult with VA-accredited representatives to assist. You can search
for attorneys, claims agents and veterans service organizations accredited by
the VA on a searchable database.
If you have
been a victim of a scam, you can file a complaint with the Federal
Trade Commission
and the Office of the Nevada Attorney General. You can also file a
police report with local law enforcement, particularly if you had physical
interaction with the scammer. You may also learn more information at the
Office of Military Legal Assistance. Include as much information as possible with
your complaint.
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