Service members and veterans are frequent targets for scams, from fake "military discount" offers to identity theft during deployment.
Common scams to watch for
- "Guaranteed approval" or "military-only" loans with huge fees hidden in the fine print.
- Fake debt relief that charges upfront and does little or nothing.
- Imposters claiming to be from your bank, the VA or the IRS and asking for account numbers or payment.
- Phishing websites made to look like a real bank or booking site. Always type the address yourself instead of clicking a link.
Protect yourself
- Never give card or account numbers to someone who contacted you.
- Turn on transaction alerts in your card's app.
- Place an active duty alert or a credit freeze with the credit bureaus when deploying. Both are free.
- Review your statements every month.
If it happens to you
Call your card issuer right away, then report identity theft at IdentityTheft.gov. It walks you through a recovery plan. Under federal law, your liability for unauthorized credit card charges is limited to $50, and most issuers charge nothing.
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