NEW YORK — While most of us will be celebrating the sacrifices of members of the armed forces, there are those who would prey on those who serve.
New York Attorney General Letitia James issued a consumer alert warning New Yorkers about scams targeting military service members and veterans ahead of Veterans Day. The Office of the Attorney General also released a new online guide focused on identifying and avoiding common scams aimed at service members and veterans.
James said the military community is a consistent target for scammers because of steady income, the complexity of navigating the Veterans Affairs system, frequent relocations, and the effect a service member's credit score can have on clearances and promotions. The attorney general is encouraging anyone who encounters scams targeting service members and veterans to report them to the Office of the Attorney General.
"Military service members have made enormous sacrifices to protect New York and our country, and they deserve our support and respect," James said. "From pension scams to predatory offers for assistance with VA benefits to phishing attacks, frauds targeting members of our military are increasingly common. I urge active service members and veterans to remain vigilant to protect themselves and report any suspected fraudsters to my office."
The alert lists several common scams. They include inflated-cost offers that advertise "special deals" to active-duty service members, often tied to per-pay-period pricing and low-quality products. The guide also warns about predatory assistance scams, in which people unlawfully charge veterans to help prepare initial VA claims while promising faster processing times or increased benefits.
Other schemes highlighted by the state include pension poaching, imposter or phishing scams, romance scams, charitable donation scams, and credit monitoring scams. According to the alert, scammers may pose as government agencies, relatives, or businesses to obtain money or personal information. The notice also says some scammers offer credit monitoring to deployed active-duty service members, then use that information to open accounts and make purchases.
The attorney general's office also shared a PATROL checklist for protection. It urges service members, veterans, and their families to protect their data, avoid responding to unexpected messages, test benefits-related messages for legitimacy, reject high-pressure sales tactics, obtain and review credit reports regularly, and locate someone they trust before giving out money or information.
New Yorkers can report a scam or learn more about recognizing and avoiding scams by visiting the Office of the Attorney General's guide on scams targeting the military. Complaints can also be made through OAG's hotline at 1-800-771-7755.
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