Veterans Day is a key opportunity for con-artists to target military personnel, both active duty and retired, according to the San Diego Better Business Bureau (BBB). “It is unconscionable that one of the most dedicated and selfless segments of our population would be targeted by unscrupulous businesses, but they are,” said Sheryl Bilbrey, BBB president and CEO. Among military-related scams:
Identity theft scammers will pose as Veterans Administration (VA) officials asking for credit card, bank account and other personal financial information; veterans will be charged for services they could get for free; fraudulent investment schemes will rob veterans of their life savings; online housing scams will offer military discounts and incentives on properties that don’t exist or are already occupied; security systems will be sold to families of deployed personnel by con-men who claim their deployed spouse ordered it to protect his or her family; and, stolen cars will be sold at low prices supposedly due to a pending deployment. For more consumer protection tips, visit www.sandiego.bbb.org.
