Veteran Scams
Special to Devils Lake Journal
Fraud cost veterans, service members and their families more than $338 million in the five years ending in 2019, according to Federal Trade Commission data. The average loss for military scam victims was nearly triple that for the population at large.
Targeting veterans takes many forms. The goal is often to manipulate or gain access to benefits the government provides to those who served.
For example, veterans are told they qualify for money from “secret” government programs, but must first pay a fee or provide personal information.
Be wary of offers for upfront cash in exchange for future disability or pension payments. The policies typically are worth only a fraction of the stated value of the benefit.
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Sponsored Content provided by Suzanne Black - AARP NC Coastal Associate State Director, AARP
AARP wants to help protect you from fraud. A key part of being able to spot a scam is knowing the red flags – those signs that suggest that just maybe what you’re confronting isn’t legitimate. One of the biggest red flags these days is anyone who tries to convince you that you owe some debt or other obligation, and the quickest way to address the issue is to purchase gift cards and share the information off the back.
Why gift cards? First, they are readily available. You see them at your grocery store, department store, and hardware store. Second, it’s a way that criminals can get your money instantly and the money is easy to move around. As soon as a target sends the numbers to the gift card they’ve purchased, the criminal is able to convert it to currency in an instant. Not surprisingly, the Federal Trade Commission reports that gift cards have been the most common form of paym
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