California Attorney General Rob Bonta has issued a consumer alert to raise awareness about scams and fraud schemes targeting military service members, veterans, and their families. The announcement comes during Military Consumer Month, as reports of such scams continue to rise nationwide.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, military consumers filed over 99,400 fraud complaints last year, an increase from approximately 93,000 complaints in 2023. Of these, 44,587 were imposter scams that cost victims and their families more than $199 million.
“More and more often, service members, veterans, and their families are targets for predatory scammers promising everything from home loans to jobs, and continuing education. This is absolutely unacceptable. As part of our commitment to protect those who protect us, my office will continue to bring the full force of the law against those who seek to exploit California’s military community,” said Attorney General Bonta. “If you have fallen victim to a scam or suspect fraudulent activity, get help and share your story so that we can help your fellow service members. You can report fraud to your local military or civilian law enforcement agency, or to the California Department of Justice at oag.ca.gov/report.”
Military personnel are often targeted by scammers seeking access to pay and benefits. These individuals may be pressured into paying fraudulent debts out of concern for their security clearances or careers. Impostors sometimes pose as veterans in order to gain trust within the community.
The alert details several common scams affecting the military community:
– Charity scams use names that sound legitimate or mimic reputable organizations in order to solicit donations.
– Predatory schools target service members with misleading promises regarding educational opportunities.
– Home loan scams involve fraudulent claims related to government affiliations or attempts at loan modifications.
– Identity theft schemes often involve impersonators claiming association with official agencies.
– Job scams lure transitioning service members with fake job listings designed to steal personal information or finances.
– Pension scams focus on persuading older veterans into unnecessary financial products or illegal fees for benefits assistance.
– Affinity fraud exploits group loyalty by pretending shared membership in the military community.
– Debt collection schemes sometimes include illegal threats related to security clearance or employment status.
– Rental housing scams promise discounted housing near bases but require upfront payments before viewing properties.
– Predatory auto sales near military installations may conceal terms leading buyers into unfavorable agreements.
To guard against these threats, Bonta advises bringing a trusted friend when making significant decisions and taking time before agreeing to offers. He encourages checking free annual credit reports through www.annualcreditreport.com for signs of identity theft or errors that could affect credit costs.
Victims of identity theft are urged to place a fraud alert on their credit reports by contacting major bureaus—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—and consider requesting a credit freeze. Reporting identity theft can be done at identitytheft.gov; suspicious activity should also be reported directly at oag.ca.gov/report and with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
Additional tips include using strong passwords for online accounts; monitoring bank statements regularly; not sharing personal information unnecessarily; verifying charities through official registries such as oag.ca.gov/charities; avoiding wiring money for unseen rental properties; reviewing contracts carefully before vehicle purchases; and signing up for programs like Los Angeles County’s Enhanced Homeowner Notification Program if eligible.
Service members who believe they have been targeted by a scam should contact local law enforcement or base legal offices for assistance. Further resources are available through legalassistance.law.af.mil/ and calguard.ca.gov for National Guard personnel.
For more information on protecting against these types of frauds affecting California’s military community: https://oag.ca.gov/consumers/general/military
