Anti-Scam FAQ: What Are Veterans Charity Scams

Answer:

Fake charity scams are nothing new, and the Veterans Affairs Department and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service warns that veterans of the armed forces are particularly vulnerable.

The scammers reportedly offer pension buyouts to veterans or ask veterans to donate to a charity that sounds and looks real but isn’t.

The scammers take the donations or cash the pension checks.

The scammers will also take the donor’s personal information to create a new fake identity or commit more crimes under that person’s name.

According to an AARP survey, 16% of veterans have lost money to fraudsters, compared to 8% of non-veterans.