Since the first unofficial Memorial Day in April 1865, the holiday has held a special place in the hearts of military veterans, active-duty service members and the general public.
Originally known as Decoration Day until the early 1900s, Americans celebrated Memorial Day by decorating the tombs and graves of soldiers who had fallen in battle during the American Civil War. After World War I, Memorial Day was expanded to recognize the sacrifices of all military members who had died in any American war.
Today, Memorial Day is often associated with an opportunity for families to get together for barbecues and weekend trips due to the extended weekend the holiday provides. For many Americans, Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer and is spent enjoying the sun and warm weather after the rainy spring season.
Companies and businesses across the nation take this opportunity to reflect on the sacrifices of military personnel and their families, often offering discounts or deals that target members of the U.S. armed forces with patriotic messaging.
Unfortunately, scammers also take advantage of this time of the year by targeting the same audience, using a patriotic or military approach to appeal to potential victims. To protect America’s service members, BBB Military Line focuses on financial literacy training, fraud alerts and scam prevention tips for active-duty personnel, veterans and their families.
A few common scams that target military members include:
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