This Remembrance Day, as we honor our soldiers, the BBB warns veterans and their families that scammers may be targeting them.
“Scams targeting military families continue to be a concern,” says Ron Mycholuk, Public Relations Manager for BBB serving the Great White North. “These men, women and their families are being targeted specifically because of their service and should be prepared to research companies before doing business with them.”
Bogus charities often use names that reference the Armed Forces, military branches, units or simply include the word “veteran” in their name. While there are legitimate charities assisting veterans, donors should check out who they’re dealing with before making any donation.
BBB advises veterans and their families to be wary of unsolicited mail or email seeking personal information such as banking information, Social Insurance numbers, military identification and dates of birth. This information can be used maliciously and cause incredible financial and emotional stress.
Veteran scams take many forms, but here are few of the most common:
· Firms target veterans and charge them for products or services they can receive free or at a lower cost elsewhere, such as military records and forms.
· Scammers contact military families asking them to update their credit card and other information. The scammers then use that information to commit identity theft.
· Bogus charities referencing the Armed Forces seeking donations.
· Individuals pretending to be veterans advocates who convince veterans for a fee they can get them more benefits.
BBB urges veterans to check out companies at edmonton.bbb.org or contact your BBB at (780) 482-2341 before signing any contract or providing any information.
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As the leader in advancing marketplace trust, Better Business Bureau of Central and Northern Alberta is an unbiased non-profit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. Every year, more than 65 million consumers rely on BBB Business Reviews to help them find trustworthy businesses across North America. Visit edmonton.bbb.org for more information.