VETERANS TARGET OF A PHONE SCAM

September 28, 2009 by Carol Duff · Leave a Comment

Veterans beware: This scam targets you

Mitch Lipka

Sep 25th 2009 at 1:30PM

Editor note: Always know who you are talking to on the phone.

Being someone who tries to steal from people through scams means having to come up with some believable proposition with the potential to get the person on the other end to give up money or private information. The latest scam in this never-ending series is targeting those who served the United States in the Armed Forces.

Calls are being placed to veterans telling them the Department of Veterans Affairs needs their credit card information to update their prescription records.

The VA is warning veterans nationwide that the calls are not coming from them or anyone acting on the government’s behalf and urging the veterans to not give out their personal financial information to these callers.

"America’s Veterans have become targets in an inexcusable scam that dishonors their service and misrepresents the Department built for them," Dr. Gerald Cross, the VA’s undersecretary for health, said in issuing the warning. "VA simply does not call veterans and ask them to disclose personal financial information over the phone."

The VA said it found out about the scam from veterans organizations that heard about the calls. The callers are told that the VA has recently changed its procedures from giving out medication and therefore needs their credit card numbers.

"VA has not changed its processes for dispensing prescription medicines," Cross said. "Nor has VA changed its long-standing commitment to protect the personal information of this nation’s veterans."

Those who have any questions regarding the VA’s services can call their VA medical center or 877-222-8387.