December 21, 2020
[Salt Lake City] — A new scam targeting military veterans and their families emerged recently in Utah. The Utah Division of Consumer Protection and Department of Veterans and Military Affairs are raising the alarm to get the word out to veterans and their families.
“Our veterans have already done so much for their communities, they deserve better. Scammers have no low they won’t stoop to in their schemes,” said Daniel O’Bannon, Director of the Division of Consumer Protection. “Veterans and their families need to be wary to protect themselves.”
The new scam came to light after a veteran’s spouse alerted the Division of Consumer Protection. While it can take a few forms, the essential elements are the same:
- Scammers pose as a government employee.
- Call their target by their name.
- Ask for a donation or offer new benefits to the veteran in exchange for personal and financial information
But no government agent will ask for a donation to a charity in their official capacity, and veterans benefits are not contingent on providing information over the phone.
“It’s important that we remember that there are bad actors trying to scam our great veterans here in Utah. And remind our veteran community to be aware of those scammers during this time of year.” said Cory Pearson, Deputy Director, Veterans Services of the DVMA. “If you have questions about your benefits, talk to the DVMA.”
