Northwest Veterans Newsletter Blog

The Consumer Sentinel Network reported that in 2014, almost 100,000 military members and veterans were targeted for financial crimes. This statistic, along with the many scammers known to prey on military and veteran supporters, prompted the Better Business Bureau to issue a warning to these groups over Veteran’s Day. Thieves often target veterans for their government benefits and look to take advantage of the patriotism shown by their families and supporters. The following is an overview of some of the most commonly known scams targeting military veterans and those that support them.

Charity Scams

Although there are many charities doing great work on behalf of veterans and their families, the generosity generated by these legitimate non-profits has prompted sham charities to pop up with more and more frequency. These scammers often imply money donated will go toward veterans and even have the words “veteran” or “military family” in their names but then will actually use very little or even none of the funds to benefit veterans, according to stopfraud.gov. The prevalence of illegitimate groups shouldn’t curtail charitable giving, but should prompt supporters to investigate a charity’s credentials using websites such as Wise Giving Alliance register or Charity Navigator.

Phone Phishing

Veterans are often the target of phone phishing scams where a person claiming to be with the Veteran’s Administration will call and request updated credit card, bank, Social Security numbers, or financial records. To avoid this scam, any veteran contacted should ask for the employee’s name and department and then call the Veteran’s Administration to verify the legitimacy of the request.

Pension/Benefit Aid

Veterans looking to qualify for benefits or collect their military pension should be wary of financial brokers, insurance agents and attorneys who falsely promise free work that will bring big financial returns. The danger with using these brokers is that they often do not disclose valuable information and may actually pressure veterans into making decisions that cause them to lose Medicaid services or delay benefits. Avoid a broker who offers to evaluate eligibility for benefits or to complete your pension or benefits application for free, or who offers guarantees of eligibility. Be wary of anyone who pushes a particular financial product and does not discuss the downside of the proposed plan, particularly as it pertains to your Medicaid benefits. To find a legitimate benefit adviser, search the VA’s list of accredited advocates and double check they have a current license.

Military Records

Military records are available for free, yet there are services that will charge veterans to access these records. If you are a veteran who needs your records, contact the VA or your service unit and they will provide them to you at no cost.

Rental/Real Estate Scams

In this scheme, scammers post fake rental or real estate property ads, often using actual addresses and photos, and promise a deep military discount to veterans. The veteran is then asked to wire a security deposit or down payment to secure the property and the scammer steals the wired money. A veteran should never transfer money before seeing a property in person and verifying the agent’s right to lease or sell the property offered.

Remember, criminal tactics are constantly changing, so if you are a veteran or supporter, one of the best ways to protect yourself is to use a trusted resource like Lifelock to keep up with the latest security news and information. Then, with this knowledge, you’ll be better able to spot a scam when you see it.

Betty Tisdale, ‘Angel’ of Saigon orphan airlift, dies in Seattle – Seattle Times – October 9, 2015

Betty in 2001 at Bellevue Traveling Wall
Northwest Veterans Newsletter photo

Operation Babylift – compiled by Pam Young

If you’re preparing to leave the military and re-enter the civilian world, you’ll find that many things have changed since you first joined up. Even if you’ve been stateside, there have been changes in everyday life you know about but haven’t had to deal with. For example, you can’t put off health insurance decisions anymore, credit is harder to get from banks (but many places will go the extra mile for veterans) and you have more choices for services that demand more of your time to review.

Review Your Vehicle’s Readiness

Does your car qualify for your state’s “historic” license plate? It may really be a beauty, but is it something you can drive all over, in all kinds of weather? If you’re going to be interviewing for work, you want a reliable ride to get you around. Even if you’re retiring, you still need dependable transportation. Don’t insist on a new car. You can get great deals on late models through places like DriveTime. Drive Time’s Military Merit program guarantees a car for veterans regardless of their credit score. They also offer a generous leasing program for those who prefer to have a new ride every few years.

If you have a mobility-related disability, check out USAA, the financial services firm created for veterans and military families. It has negotiated discounts with manufacturers who modify vehicles to accommodate disabilities.

Get Health Insurance

The Affordable Care Act requires the VA to notify the IRS of veterans’ enrollment status. Shortly before your separation date, you will get a letter from the VA explaining your health insurance options. In addition to the VA, you may be eligible for TRICARE, Indian Health Service care or Medicare. You can combine VA care with these and other plans you enroll in through the Healthcare Marketplace or at a job. Or you can leave the VA entirely.

If you have a job lined up that provides insurance, review it carefully to make sure it covers you and your family’s needs. Some employers are now offering cash incentives for employees to find insurance on their own through the Marketplace.

Just be sure you do enroll in a health insurance plan. There are small, pro-rated penalties for each year you are not enrolled in a plan. A few people may be able to get an exception, but odds are pretty high that you or a family member will need medical care at some point. Paying out of pocket for medical care is extremely expensive, so get coverage.

“Civilianize” Your Outlook

Most businesses are actually quite eager to interview veterans. Your mission is to convince them that you are the best hire for them.

Creating a civilian resume may be a bit daunting. MilitaryOneSource recommends these preparation steps:

• Get contact information from your favorite supervisors and colleagues.
• Get copies of performance appraisals to identify areas where you excelled.
• Get copies of ACE transcripts to identify special skills and education.

To communicate effectively in the civilian business world, you need to “civilianize” yourself, recommends Bradley-Morris, a firm that specializes in placing veterans in civilian jobs. This means translating your resume into language a non-military HR rep can understand.

• List your main responsibilities in the military, particularly those that have a civilian application.
• If you can’t avoid acronyms, explain them.
• Always provide a cover letter that highlights how you can help the company you hope to work for.

IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ [published circa 1969 or April 1970] 

In May of 1919 at Dusseldorf, Germany, the allied forces obtained a copy of the Communist Rules for Revolution. 50 years later, the Reds are still following the rules. As you read, stop after each item and think about the present day situation where we live – and all around our nation. We quote the Red Rules:

• A. Corrupt the young, [get them away from religion,] get them interested in sex. Make them superficial; destroy their ruggedness.

• B. Get control of all means of publicity, thereby get people’s minds off their government by focusing their attention on athletics, sexy books and plays, and other trivialities.

• C. Divide the people into hostile groups by constantly harping on controversial matters of no importance.

• D. Destroy the people’s faith in their natural leaders by holding them up to contempt and ridicule.

• E. Always preach true democracy, but seize power as fast and as ruthless as possible.

• F. By encouraging government extravagance destroy its credit, produce fear of inflation with rising prices and general discontent.

• G. Promote unnecessary strikes in vital industries, encourage civil disorders and foster a lenient and soft attitude on the part of the government toward such disorders.

• H. By specious argument cause breakdown of the moral virtues, honesty, sobriety, continence, faith in the pledged word.

• I. Cause the registration of all firearms on some pretext, with a view to confiscating them and leaving the population helpless.

Join us on our vacation to the ocean in September 2015, at the Sandpiper Beach Resort on the Washington coast – Roger & Pam:

Hackers, unscrupulous lenders and fraudulent credit card companies are targeting veterans with misleading offers and outright scams. This is, of course, on top of the everyday fraud we read or hear about, including the recent theft of 21.5 million Social Security numbers belonging to federal employees. Read on to learn how veterans in particular can better protect themselves and family members from fraud.

Beware of Offers Targeting Veterans

While many organizations and businesses provide special discounts for veterans, take particular care with those that promise additional benefits. Here are a few cited by AARP’s Military Monday column:

• Some financial planners and insurance agents urge veterans to invest in programs that give them “additional benefits” like Aid and Attendance services. But this could disqualify them from other, more useful Medicaid programs. Older vets may unknowingly buy in to a long-term investment they may not live long enough to receive.
• Any organization can include the word “veteran” in its name, including supposed charities. Investigate a charity before you donate. Charitynavigator.org is a good resource for this.
• Hang up on any caller who claims to represent the VA. Like the IRS and Medicare, the VA only communicates through the mail. Mark emails purportedly from the VA as spam or phishing.

In addition to the resources above, check out the LifeLock website for more information on current and emerging scams and tips for safeguarding personal information.

Carry Only What You Need in Your Wallet or Purse

Remember that old credit card ad that asked “What’s in your wallet?” It’s a good question. What are you carrying around?

There is absolutely no need to carry every credit card you own. If you use credit cards to earn reward points, just carry one or two. You don’t need a Costanza-like wallet bulging out to force you to sit sideways.

Similarly, don’t carry your Social Security card. Lock it up in your home safe along with your extra credit cards. You can’t cancel a stolen Social Security card, and getting a number changed is a long and difficult process.

Don’t carry the following: a list of sensitive information (PINs, SSN, account numbers), copies of your birth certificate (or the actual form) and any banking information, including the blank check your parents advised you decades ago to keep in your wallet.

How to Store and Protect Your Information

It’s practically impossible to remember all the accounts, PINs and passwords you might use on a regular basis. Here’s an idea: Enter them in a note on your smartphone, and keep the phone locked. This way, you only need to remember one PIN that should, of course, be random and not associated with birthdays, anniversaries or addresses. Some people use their childhood phone numbers, which they can remember more easily than their own.

Also, invest in a password protection program. These programs are often free on desktops, and track your passwords for you. They alert you when it’s time to change one, or if you log on to a site that has the same password as another. Best of all, they create crazy new passwords for you, and automatically enter them when you visit a password-protected site.

The catch? You do have to remember a single PIN to get in the program.