New York's attorney general released a guide to help veterans and service members spot pension scams, shady VA benefits offers and phishing before money is lost.
New York Attorney General Letitia James is warning veterans and military service members about scams aimed at them, just ahead of Veterans Day. Her office released an online guide to help the military community spot and avoid common fraud.
James said frauds that target the military are "increasingly common." She pointed to pension scams, predatory offers of help with VA benefits, and phishing attacks. Phishing means fake emails, texts or calls built to trick you into giving up personal details or money.
Her office says scammers may take advantage of the complexity of the Veterans Affairs system, frequent relocations and the effect credit scores can have on military careers.
The warning is aimed at veterans and active service members. Families are worth including, since a relative may be the one handling benefits paperwork or answering a message. Phishing is not limited to the military, so its warning signs are useful to anyone.
The steps are in the alert box above. They include reading the guide, using the office's PATROL tips and reporting a suspected scam. Reports can be made on the attorney general's website or by calling 1-800-771-7755.
The coverage does not list every scam in the guide or spell out what PATROL stands for, and it gives no figures on how many people have been hit. The attorney general's website is the place to find those details.
If you or a relative has served, read the attorney general's guide now, and report any suspected scam at 1-800-771-7755.
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