Scammers pretend to raise funds for military veterans, often usingfake organizations or misrepresenting real charities. These scamsexploit public goodwill towards veterans and active-duty soldiers.
How This Can Happen to Us:
Fraudsters usefake military names and emotional stories, requesting donationsthrough calls, emails, and door-to-door campaigns. They may even usenames similar to real veteran organizations to appear credible.
Example of Scam:
A scammer in Florida posedas a charity director for veterans, collecting over $2 million indonations. Authorities later discovered that none of the money wasused for veterans, and the scammer was arrested.
How to Protect Yourself:
Donate to established veteran organizations like Wounded Warrior Project or DAV.
Verify any charity with the Better Business Bureau or charity watchdogs.
Be skeptical of high-pressure tactics demanding urgent donations.
Check if the charity provides transparent financial reports.