TULSA, Okla. — We know scammers have no scruples.
Especially when they target victims who should garner our respect.
The Problem Solvers found out how scammers are victimizing our veterans.
Those who have served our country, waging war in foreign lands, have sacrificed so much of their lives.
They deserve better than this, Roger, a veteran from Tulsa, tells the Problem Solvers.
“I got a call from a person who said he could get me $10,000 from a settlement involving a lawsuit focusing on veterans. I just needed to pay a $500 case file fee. I paid it, and never heard from him since.”
As frustrating as that is, experts say Roger was actually fortunate he didn’t lose more money from his bank account.
Usually, scammers would use all the information they get from a victim to steal more of their money.
Unfortunately, those experts also tell us more veterans… young and old… are being targeted by schemers, using their past military service as ammo.
It’s as if scammers have found a whole new rhetorical army to attack.
Why?
Joy McGill, with the Oklahoma AARP, says, “Military members and veterans have a unique set of benefits that the individuals at large in the community don’t have. And so they are prime targets for scammers to be able to try to go after them to get a piece of the pie.”
And as appalling as it is for a war vet like Roger to be scammed, it bears repeating, he’s fortunate he only lost the money he did.
Scammers could have cleaned out his account, taking advantage of his service to his country.
Here's more information you can use to protect yourself or your family from scams like this.
If someone calls… emails… or texts out of the blue offering you something that sounds too good to be true… don’t respond.
Don’t click on any links that could allow scammers to hack your phone or computer.
Don’t give any personal or financial information to a person or agency who you don’t know you can trust.
And certainly don’t pay anything upfront… especially for something that sounds too good to be true.
Contact the Problem Solvers:
- 918-748-1502
- problemsolvers@kjrh.com
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere --
- Download our free app for Apple, Android and Kindle devices.
- Sign up for daily newsletters emailed to you
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Twitter