One would think that there would be special recognition for our country’s military. Recognition of the sacrifices made. Recognition of the protection of our Constitution and our country. Unfortunately, the special recognition often comes in the way of scams.
Impersonators will pretend to be someone you trust. They may claim to be from the government, your bank, a charity, or a business. They will approach you by email, text, telephone, snail mail, or in person.
Scammers will contact service members and military families pretending to be from a military-focused financial institution. They may ask for your Social Security number, bank account number, or credit or debit card number, or your password. The scammer may tell you that there is a problem with your debit card. They may say they’ve detected fraudulent activity. They may tell you your Social Security Number has been compromised.
Do you recognize the name listed on your caller ID? You can’t trust caller ID. Scammers fake the number they call from.
Scammers might clone your loved one’s voice and tell you about a fake emergency, saying they need money now. Scammers can access audio clips of peoples’ voices and with voice-cloning program, they can sound just like your loved one. If this happens, hang up. Call your loved one and their family to check on your loved one. If you’re not comfortable hanging up, try asking the caller a question only the real person would know the answer to or have a code phrase.
The Federal Trade Commission recommends that military consumers brush up on their scam-detection skills.
- The MilitaryConsumer.gov blog will keep you informed about the latest on scams with information sent to your inbox.
- VSAFE.gov will help veterans learn about specific military fraud types and how to deal with them.
- More information can be found on identity theft at IdentityTheft.gov.
- You can order free materials fromftc.gov/bulkorder. Sharing written materials can help people spotscams. Order information onscams or identity theft.
If a service member (or anyone!) tells you they’ve been scammed, encourage them to report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Scams and scammers are getting more sophisticated. Artificial Intelligence has created more opportunities. It’s getting harder to distinguish between real and fake. Stay alert!
Don’t trust the person on the other end of the communication. They are not your friend. They do not care about your personal circumstances. They don’t care what service members and veterans have done. They care about money and ways to take advantage of people. Don’t let it be you!
STOP!!! THINK!!!
Stay safe!
