If there’s anyone better than your drunk Uncle Jimmy at ruining the holidays, it’s a scammer.
It wasn’t long ago that the scam of Go Navy Tax Services, located just outside Naval Base San Diego, was revealed. They offered free tax help, which seemed perfect for sailors. But there was a catch. These sailors, looking for assistance, ended up signing forms they thought were for retirement accounts. Instead, they were unknowingly buying life insurance policies, leading to a collective loss of $4.8 million.
It’s a sad truth, but scammers often see veterans and members of the military as easy targets. They know about your military benefits and count on your sense of duty and trust. They use your service and patriotism against you.
People affiliated with the military are also attractive targets because of our benefits. Criminals can use personal information available online from data breaches paired with the information you willingly post online, and use that to steal your identity. With your identity, they can steal your veteran benefits.
You might be wondering, why are veterans more likely to be scammed than civilians? Well, it’s because of your steady income, military benefits, and the sense of trust people have in the military. Scammers take advantage of these traits. They also know that frequent moves and deployments can make you more vulnerable.
But don’t worry too much – you can protect yourself! Being aware of these scams is the first step. Keep an eye out for anything that seems too good to be true or anyone asking for personal information too quickly. Remember, your military training has made you strong and vigilant – use these skills to guard against scams.
Here are three quick tips:
- This holiday season (and beyond), check out CharityNavigator.org or CharityWatch.org before giving money to a charity.
- If someone solicits you to buy a product or a service, you can check the Better Business Bureau and Trustpilot website to make sure they’re legit. (If there are no reviews, that’s a bad sign!)
- And if there’s a random hot chick sliding into your DMs, no there’s not. 🥲
The website https://www.militaryconsumer.gov/ has some great tips and resources if you want to learn more. You can also find other helpful orgs on our I Need Help With… page.
You protected the nation, now it’s time to protect your hard-earned benefits, your peace of mind, and your finances from scammers. 🛡️🇺🇸
This article was inspired by original reporting from The War Horse and CBS News.
