California Attorney General Rob Bonta is warning the military community, veterans and their families of different kinds of scams for Military Consumer Month, officials said Monday.
Military consumers lost over $103 million to scams last year, according to a recent Federal Trade Commission report.
Additionally, according to an AARP report, veterans and their families are nearly 40% more likely to lose money to scams and fraud than the civilian population.
“Too often, military service members, veterans, and their families are a prime target for fraud,” Bonta said in a news release. “I urge California’s military community to be vigilant, know the warning signs, and take steps to protect against scammers seeking to take advantage of you or unlawfully access your military benefits … If you see something suspicious, report it to local law enforcement. Together, we can keep you and your loved ones safe from these predatory scams.”
Here are the common military and veteran-targeted scams Bonta’s office is warning about:
Home loan scams
The Attorney General’s Office warns of scammers that, through phone calls or fraudulent mailers, claim to be a part of the government, the Department of Veterans Affairs or a home loan servicer.
The scammers may try to convince homeowners to agree to loan modifications, refinancing homes or make a payment to a loan.
“Be cautious of any individual or lender that: contacts you…
