There are many lawful charities soliciting donations to support our nation’s military veterans, as well as active duty personnel, but beware. Just because a charity uses words like “veterans” or “military families” in their name, doesn’t make it legitimate. Scam artists will also use a name similar to those of a well-known business, relying on its familiarity to get you to donate. Before you give money to an organization, do your homework. Visit the organization’s website and research their name on the internet for any accounting of fraud. You can find a list of registered charities in Florida by visiting the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Check-a-Charity sitio Web

Active duty servicemembers are prime targets for the credit repair scam if they are carrying significant credit card debt that is difficult to manage. Scam artists claim to be able to improve your credit score, remove bankruptcies, judgments and liens, and repair your credit. Remember there is no quick fix to repair bad credit. Under federal law, credit repair companies cannot require you to pay any fees until they have completed the service they promised.

Financial counselors on your military installation can help you review your credit report free of charge and dispute any errors that are found. Only time can erase negative information from your credit history. Most negative informative will stay on your report for seven years, and bankruptcies will be reported for 10. Active duty military servicemembers should consider freezing their credit before deploying. Effective July 1, 2018, credit reporting agencies can no longer charge a fee to freeze your credit.

Active duty servicemembers and veterans seeking to take advantage of the GI Bill for college courses may be targets of deceptive marketing tactics that provide false information and encourage them to attend expensive for-profit educational institutions. The marketing firms use familiar phrases such as: “GI Bill” and “Armed Forces” to recruit active duty servicemembers and veterans. Some of these for-profit educational institutions lack accreditation and their credits may not be transferrable.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has a comparison guide that can assist with locating a school and determining your specific GI benefits. The guide also has a section for employers where they can search for resumes, post available jobs and learn how servicemembers and veterans will be an asset to their organizations. Thoroughly research colleges and other higher educational institutions you are interested in before applying with the GI Bill Comparison Tool.

Located outside the gates of many military installations are loan companies offering loans specifically for military servicemembers, veterans and their families. Be cautious of loans that promise instant approval or no credit check. These loans typically come with extremely high interest rates and hidden fees. Remember, legitimate lenders will never guarantee a loan before you apply and are approved, and loans that require an upfront fee are likely to be a scam.

Many credit unions, especially those located near or on military installations, offer short-term loans at competitive rates and have specific programs for military servicemembers. Also, as a veteran or military servicemember, you may have access to interest free loans through your service relief organization. Military OneSource has more information about military relief organizations and emergency financial help.

Imposters pretend to be someone you trust or know, like a government official, a family member, a charity or a company you do business with. They use pressure tactics to get you to send money or give your personal information to them. They might send you an email or text, but they may also call you on the phone. Imposters may pose as someone from the IRS or from a government agency and request personal information like your Social Security number to update your military records. Or they may try to con you into paying them for something with a gift card or wire them money.

Never give out personal information over the phone. A government or law enforcement agency or legitimate business will never ask you to wire money or for a gift card as payment. If you think the phone call may be legitimate, hang up and call the agency directly to verify with information you’ve gotten from the internet or from the back of your credit card. 

Military homeowners looking for assistance with paying the mortgage should be cautious of this type of scam. Some mortgage relief companies will try to convince servicemembers and veterans to pay them a small fee in exchange for their ability to get a loan modification or to stop foreclosure. Oftentimes these companies claim to be associated with the government, a non-profit or housing relief organization; unfortunately they may not be. It’s against the law for mortgage relief companies to charge any money until you have been given a written offer from your lender and you have accepted it.

If you’re struggling to make you mortgage payment, there are legitimate programs that can help. The best place to start is with your lender. They can work with you to help get you back on track or give you names of legitimate organizations that can help you. Also, the Oficina para la Protección Financiera del Consumidor provides a list of approved housing counselors from the office of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Veterans 65 and over are targeted by shady financial advisers persuading them to transfer their pensions into a special trust while charging excessive fees. The advisers claim to help veterans qualify for Aid and Attendance benefits, but this may cause them to lose eligibility for Medicaid or prevent access to their pension for several years.

Only the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Benefits Administration can award benefits. To avoid becoming a victim of the Veteran Pension Poaching Scam, do not quickly approve changes to your pension. If you are interested in Aid and Attendance benefits, you can apply free of charge through the Departamento de Asuntos de Veteranos de los Estados Unidos. 

Scammers use email or text messages to trick you into giving them your personal information, like passwords, account numbers or Social Security numbers so they can gain access to your email, bank or other accounts. Phishing emails and text messages may appear to come from a reputable company or government agency. They will tell a story to try and trick you into clicking a link or opening an attachment. Do not click on hyperlinks in emails or texts. Only provide personal and financial information through an organization’s website if you typed in the web address yourself. Ensure that the browser window displays the closed padlock symbol or starts with “https”, which indicates the site is secure.

Be cautious of opening attachments and downloading files from emails. These files may contain viruses that may damage your computer’s security system or provide access to your personal information. Keep your computer and personal devices software up to date. Use security software and keep it updated. Use multi-factor authentication when possible. Back up your data regularly.

Scammers are aware that past military experience appeals to many employers and use that to their advantage. Using online platforms and job boards, phishing emails, phone calls and texts, scammers advertise bogus positions in an effort to gather personal or financial information that can be used for identity theft. Verify that the potential employer is real before filling out online job applications.

Phony phone operators may ask for your bank account information to set up direct deposit, but they just want to take your money. If a company or organization is mentioned in an ad or interview, contact that company directly to find out if the company is hiring. Beware of testimonials or references you cannot independently verify. Visit the Better Business Bureau Job Scams Study to read real life scenarios of victims of employment scams.

This scam occurs through internet dating websites or other social media sites. A scam artist creates fake profiles with attractive photos to gain the interest of potential victims. Over time, the scam artist will begin asking for money for expensive items such as medical or education costs, or to pay internet or phone bills to continue the relationship. The scam usually ends when the victim realizes they are being scammed and/or stops sending money.

You can protect yourself from this scam by being very careful and mindful about how much information you share on social network sites. Use search engines to check out your potential suitor’s photos, credentials and other information shared. You may discover conflicting information or that the information was previously used to lure another victim. If you’re unsure about the relationship, talk to a trusted friend or family member who may provide an unbiased perspective.

Beware of offers that claim to provide deals or discounts specifically for veterans and servicemembers on a variety of items. Scam artists plot to separate veterans and servicemembers from their hard-earned money by advertising a special deal, when in fact the item may not be available.

For instance, a landlord offers a rental property and offers a discount for veterans or military members. In order to secure the property, the landlord requires you to wire money for a deposit. Beware. Some organizations do offer genuine discounts for veterans and servicemembers, but always check those offers out carefully and never wire payments to anyone you don’t know.