SCAM ALERT: Military Consumers Being Targeted For Fraud

Remind older veterans to slow down before responding to unexpected phone calls, emails

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA — Sometimes people don’t even know they’ve experienced a scam until they’ve already lost money.

Military consumers reported an enormous loss of $584 million to fraud in 2024.

That’s why, throughout the month of July, the FTC is giving you tools to raise the volume on practical advice to help yourself, and your buddies, spot, avoid, and report scams.

Here’s where to start:

● At your next battalion huddle, bring up a scammy text about problems with an online order or money owed on an account. Use it to explain how scammers send unexpected messages to steal your personal information and your money.

● Before a deployment, brief your loved ones about scammers that use social media to send urgent messages about fake problems or supposed once-in-a-lifetime investment opportunities.

● Remind older veterans in your community to slow down before responding to unexpected phone calls and emails. Tell them only scammers insist you pay in specific ways, like using cryptocurrency, wiring money through a company like MoneyGram or Western Union, using a payment app, or by putting money on a gift card.

Know someone who accidentally paid a scammer? Encourage everyone you know to report scams to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

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