We know that scammers tend to go after the elderly, college students and children, but an increasingly popular target is U.S. veterans.
To help veterans avoid falling victim to fraud, MainStreet rounded up some of the scams used to trick military personnel over the years. Read more here:Vetting for Vets
Families of military personnel face a unique set of challenges when it comes to identity theft and keeping themselves safe. Their personal information is part of the larger credit system, just like everyone else, but they are also part of the military system, which adds an extra layer of susceptibility. Find additional tips and info for military families here.
FEMA Warns of Cell Phone Fraud Being Conducted in Agency's Name
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is warning people about a scam to defraud victims in natural disasters. Those targeted in the scam are actual natural disaster victims who have been targeted to receive a message that appears to come from FEMA. If they act on the message, they are signed up for a subscription service that bills their cell phone account $10 per month.
ACCESS warns: the text message received by victims of this scam tells them to press the "*" key on their phone to find out about their federal disaster claim. As soon as recipients of the message take action, they are subscribed to a service that bills through their cell phone company. Unless they are watching their bill closely, it may be months until the subscription is detected.
Anyone receiving such a message should notify their cell phone provider, FEMA, their State Attorney General's Office and the FTC. ACCESS further encourages victims to consider notifying the Secret Service as they are responsible for federal wire fraud enforcement.
The Department of Homeland Security's Inspector General's Office has set-up a fraud hotline to report this type crime. The number for the hotline is (800) 323-8603. Reports can also be filed by e-mail at DHSOIGHOTLINE@dhs.gov. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Think Fraud!
Victims should also pay a visit to ScamVictimsUnited.com to find additional support.Knowledge is power.
Our best defense against scams -continues to be awareness.
To help veterans avoid falling victim to fraud, MainStreet rounded up some of the scams used to trick military personnel over the years. Read more here:Vetting for Vets
Families of military personnel face a unique set of challenges when it comes to identity theft and keeping themselves safe. Their personal information is part of the larger credit system, just like everyone else, but they are also part of the military system, which adds an extra layer of susceptibility. Find additional tips and info for military families here.
FEMA Warns of Cell Phone Fraud Being Conducted in Agency's Name
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is warning people about a scam to defraud victims in natural disasters. Those targeted in the scam are actual natural disaster victims who have been targeted to receive a message that appears to come from FEMA. If they act on the message, they are signed up for a subscription service that bills their cell phone account $10 per month.
ACCESS warns: the text message received by victims of this scam tells them to press the "*" key on their phone to find out about their federal disaster claim. As soon as recipients of the message take action, they are subscribed to a service that bills through their cell phone company. Unless they are watching their bill closely, it may be months until the subscription is detected.
Anyone receiving such a message should notify their cell phone provider, FEMA, their State Attorney General's Office and the FTC. ACCESS further encourages victims to consider notifying the Secret Service as they are responsible for federal wire fraud enforcement.
The Department of Homeland Security's Inspector General's Office has set-up a fraud hotline to report this type crime. The number for the hotline is (800) 323-8603. Reports can also be filed by e-mail at DHSOIGHOTLINE@dhs.gov. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Think Fraud!
Stay informed and alert to the latest scams and techniques used today to con you out of your hard-earned money -or personal data.
Victims should also pay a visit to ScamVictimsUnited.com to find additional support.Knowledge is power.
Our best defense against scams -continues to be awareness.
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