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Many military families move every few years. For spouses and other family members, finding a new job after relocation can be a challenge. Websites can help you find work, but scammers also use these sites to find people to rip off. Do you look for work on caregiver/nanny job sites? Sometimes scammers will offer a job but say you need to buy supplies or other equipment. They pressure you to act quickly, before you have time to think. They send you...

Military life comes with its share of changes, like deployments and permanent change of station (PCS) moves. And these changes may, at times, make it difficult to honor financial and legal commitments that were made prior to joining the military. The Service Members Civil Relief Act (SCRA) provides “protections for servicemembers in the event that legal or financial transactions adversely affect their rights during military or uniformed service,”...

Would you donate to a charity called Help the Vets? What about if you get a robocall that asks you to donate your car to “Veterans of America?” Unfortunately, just because the word “veterans” is in the name, it doesn’t mean that an organization actually helps veterans. For example, Help the Vets didn’t help disabled and wounded veterans as they said they would. And, the FTC sued Veterans of America alleging that the organization wasn’t a charity...

You’re working on your computer when, suddenly, a message pops up on the screen: “Virus detected! Call now for a free security scan and to repair your device.” That’s a tech support scam. Don’t call, text, or email. Legit tech support companies don’t operate that way. Scammers pose as big-name companies and use pop-up messages, fake websites, and phone calls to trick you into thinking your computer has an urgent problem. Their plan is to get your...

While plenty of successful relationships begin online, scammers also use online dating sites, apps, and chat rooms to trick you into sending them money. These imposters create fake profiles to build online relationships, and eventually convince people to send money in the name of love. Some even make wedding plans before disappearing with the money. It’s a big problem: reports to the FBI about online romance scams tripled between 2012 and 2016...

“I was headed home on leave but I lost my wallet and military ID. I’m stranded — please wire money.” “Your grandson is being held in jail. He needs bail money right away.” Scammers try to trick you into thinking a loved one is in trouble. They call, text, email, or send messages on social media about a supposed emergency with a family member or friend. They ask you to send money immediately. T o make their story seem real, they may claim to be an...

The Fourth of July is an important day for all Americans, and can have even more significance to those who have served in the armed services. Perhaps you’re getting together with family and friends, picking up miniature American flags for the backyard, and deciding on your favorite barbecue treats. As military families prepare to celebrate Independence Day, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) wants to remind everyone to celebrate...

J uly is Military Consumer Month. This year, we’re focusing on fighting imposter scams – where a con artist pretends to be someone you trust, to convince you to send money or personal information. The scam can take many forms: imposters may say they’re calling from the government or from a business with technical support expertise. Other scammers lure unsuspecting victims by posing as legitimate users of online dating sites, or say that there’s...

Looking for stronger ways to protect your credit? Thanks to a new federal law, soon you can get free credit freezes and year-long fraud alerts. Here’s what to look forward to when the law takes effect on September 21st: Free credit freezes What is it? A credit freeze restricts access to your credit file, making it harder for identity thieves to open new accounts in your name. Usually you get a PIN to use each time you want to freeze and unfreeze...

Last year we heard from nearly 2.7 million people about scams and other consumer problems they encountered. We’ve tallied the numbers and last week the FTC announced the 2017 Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book. We got more than 113,000 reports from military consumers. Although not all of them gave details about their military status, more than 28,000 are servicemembers, their family members, or inactive Reserve and National Guard, and more than...