Attorney general warns NYers about these scams targeting military service members, veterans

Attorney General Letitia James is warning New Yorkers to beware of scams targeting military service members and veterans ahead of Veterans Day on Wednesday.

In a consumer alert issued on Monday, James said her office released a new online guide dedicated to identifying and avoiding common scams targeting service members and veterans, according to a news release.

The military community is a "consistent target" for scammers due to their steady income, the complexity of navigating the Veterans Affairs system, their obligation to relocate often, and the impact that a service member’s credit score can have on clearances and promotions, James said.

"Military service members have made enormous sacrifices to protect New York and our country, and they deserve our support and respect," James said in the statement. "From pension scams to predatory offers for assistance with VA benefits to phishing attacks, frauds targeting members of our military are increasingly common. I urge active service members and veterans to remain vigilant to protect themselves and report any suspected fraudsters to my office."

Common scams geared toward members of the military and veterans include offering "special deals" for low-quality products with already inflated costs.

Others may fraudulently charge veterans to "help" prepare their initial claims with the VA, promising faster processing times or increased benefits while charging high fees or luring veterans into forwarding their pension money.

Scammers may pretend to be an official government agency, create fake dating profiles or ask for donations to fake or predatory charities that claim to help veterans or service members in need.

Active military and veterans should never share passwords or answer unexpected emails, texts, phone calls or social media messages.

Any benefits-related messages should be verified by checking with official sources. Messages with a sense of urgency should be rejected, the guide said.

Anyone who encounters scams targeting service members and veterans should report them to attorney general's office.