Rather than honoring the sacrifices made by active-duty service members, veterans and their families, cybercriminals are increasingly targeting them.
Seven in 10 military vets and active-duty service members have been a victim of at least one digital crime, according to a recent poll conducted by consumer cybersecurity company Aura, in conjunction with Ipsos, to be published on November 11, Veterans Day.
Data from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) supports these findings. Veterans, active-duty service members and their families are at a “higher risk” of fraud and identity theft than other U.S. adults.
The FTC says $267 million in total losses among the military community were reported in 2021, up 118 percent from $122 million in 2020.
As reported by AARP, individual victims within the military community reported losing more money than their civilian counterparts, with a median loss of $600, compared to $500 for civilians.
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Veterans are more concerned with digital crime than “traditional” crimes, such as mugging and home invasions, found Aura.
“I’m not surprised but continuously dismayed to see the fraudsters see men and women, who choose to put their life on the line to serve and fight for freedoms for others, as targets,” says Theresa Payton, renowned cybersecurity expert who served as the first female White House chief information officer (2006-08), and CEO and founder…
