Memorial Day is a time to honor those who serve and remember those who have died in war. But sadly, it has also become a key opportunity for scammers to target those who are serving or have served their nation, especially elderly veterans.
BBB is urging consumers and donors to be on the lookout for deals that seem too good to be true, and for disreputable charities. Scams can include those that target service personnel and their families directly, but also those that appear to be helping military members via charities.
When you make a donation, always check www.give.org to see that the group meets BBB charity standards. Too many solicitors that fail to meet BBB standards call and say they help veterans, service members or their families,and little of the money donated will serve that purpose.
Among the scams to watch out for are those posing as theVeterans Administration and contacting veterans to say they need to updatetheir credit card, bank or other financial records with the VA; scammers charging servicemembers for services they could get for free or less expensively elsewhere,such as military records; fraudulent investment schemes that convince veterans to transfer their assets; offering "instant approval" military loans that can have high interest rates and hidden fees.
