Scam artists deceive veterans, families by using fear, emotions

On Memorial Day, most of us pause to remember the sacrifices that people in the armed forces have made and continue to make for all of us.

For some, however, the occasion is just another day to rip off veterans and others.

Scam artists prey on our emotions, and emotions run high during holiday times. Mailings solicit funds for a variety of organizations most of us have never heard of. Often these mailings include photos of people with what appear to be service-connected disabilities and urgings to help those who have sacrificed for us.

Scammers exploit our feelings for veterans in search of a payday. The organizations they create often begin with the words, “American Veterans,” followed by terms such as “assistance” or “relief.” If you’ve never heard of the group, be suspicious.

Even the American Legion, the nation’s largest veterans group, has been chastised for an inappropriate mailing. Early last winter, the Legion sent 800,000 letters to former members. Each recipient read that his or her “benefits as a veteran of the United States Armed Forces have lapsed” and could only be reinstated by paying $20 for renewed membership in the Legion.

Veterans’ benefits do not lapse. A Legion spokesperson called it an “electronic editing mistake,” which the Legion tried to clarify in a follow-up letter.

People who wish to contribute to nonprofit groups that help veterans (or make any other type of charitable donation) would be wise to research such groups first. Good places to start are Web sites, such as Charity Navigator and Guidestar. Guidestar lets searchers verify that a name on an envelope belongs to a real group; a fee gives the searcher access to information on 1.7 million nonprofits.

Charity Navigator applauds worthy charities and raises warning flags about less efficient causes. It does side-by-side comparisons, so visitors can make informed decisions about the worthiness of nonprofits’ missions. Among the groups saying they help veterans are a half dozen with whopping percentages of their contributions plowed back into fundraising – one spent more than 85 percent of its total take to bring in more money.

A number of scam artists target veterans. Just last month the FBI warned of an e-mailer claiming to be a soldier in Iraq and needing help to get millions of dollars out of that country. Those who go for the bait (a share of the millions) are asked to send money up front “to finance the transfer.” Or the “soldier” asks for personal financial information and does his own transfer to his or her benefit.

Other swindlers call veterans, claim to represent the Veterans Administration and ask for credit card or other information “to update their prescription files.” The VA doesn’t call veterans and ask for personal financial information over the phone.

One operation called spouses of soldiers who are overseas and said their loved ones had been wounded and airlifted to Germany. The shocked spouse was asked to verify the loved one’s birthday and Social Security number. Once done, the identity theft process began.

On this Memorial Day, remember those who have truly sacrificed, search out those groups that really want to help, pass along ideas that work to get help where it’s needed and avoid being taken in.

Consumer Forum is a collaboration, now in its 30th year, of the Bangor Daily News and Northeast CONTACT, Maine’s membership-funded nonprofit consumer organization. Individual and business memberships are available at modest rates. Interested and motivated prospective volunteers are always needed and welcome to apply to help with our mission. For assistance with consumer-related issues, including consumer fraud and identity theft, or for more information, write: Consumer Forum, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor ME 04402-1329, or e-mail

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