Veterans Charity Scams

Veterans charity scams are becoming increasingly common. These scams can be particularly insidious, as they often prey on people's desire to support and assist veterans. Due to the lack of awareness surrounding them, these fraudulent schemes are constantly putting vets' livelihoods at risk. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), in 2021, military veterans and personnel lost over $266 million, mostly from scam attacks. These scams can take many forms, such as fake charities that claim to support veterans but are really just looking to steal money. It is important to be aware of these scams and do your due diligence when supporting veteran charities. This blog post will outline some of the most common types of veteran charity scams and how to avoid them.

What are veteran's charity scams?

There are many different types of veteran charity scams. Still, they all have one thing in common: they involve someone pretending to be a legitimate veterans' organization in order to collect money from unsuspecting donors. But in reality, none of these funds are actually used to help veterans. In 2021, scam attacks have cost military veterans and personnel a staggering $266 million according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Types of veteran's charity scams

Scammers target their victims using two methods: targeted and random.

Targeted Veterans Charity Scams:

A scam of this type occurs when fraudsters research and list specific targets to ask for donations. This type of attack comes mostly in the form of phishing. Criminals search social media for former service members or people who have already supported military causes. Then, when they have gathered their information, they send unsolicited phishing emails, texts, and telemarketing phone calls to get donations. When the scammer sets up a fake website or social media page that looks like it belongs to a legitimate veterans organization, it's very easy to fall into this scam.

Guardio is a Chrome extension that monitors suspicious activity and blocks hackers from stealing your data.

Avoid becoming a victim with a browser protection tool like Guardio. Phishing and scam sites can trick you into giving away personal information or money, But Guardio is designed to block these malicious attempts. Guardio also offers special features that pre-detect phishing attempts and malicious sites.

Random Veterans Charity Scams:

Be cautious of scammers who try to collect donations by copying existing fundraisers or charity organizations. They often use names that sound legit or are similar to real charities to gain trust. However, the money donated goes straight into their pockets instead of the intended cause. These frauds tend to occur around events like Veterans Day and Memorial Day.

Fundraising campaigns on social media:

The power of social media lies in its ability to reach out to the public and gain donors. If you are considering donating to a veteran cause on social media, it is important to do your due diligence to ensure that the campaign is legitimate. One way to do this is to research the organization or individual behind the campaign. Additionally, you can check if the donation is tax-deductible by looking up the organization's name on the IRS website. By taking these steps, you can help ensure that your donation is going to a reputable and trustworthy organization that will use the funds to support veterans.

When making a donation, always look for platforms with policies against fraudulent campaigns to ensure the organizers aren't scamming you. With Guardio, you will be able to identify these fake websites.

Guardio is a Chrome extension that monitors suspicious activity and blocks hackers from stealing your data.

How Can You Identify a Fake Veterans Charity?

Here are some simple steps you can take to ensure your donation is supporting a legitimate cause:

1. Make sure their website is secure: for this first step, you can use a browser protection tool like Guardio. Visiting malicious websites can expose you to a number of risks, like harmful downloads, intrusive notifications, and harmful extensions that install malware on your device.

Guardio will alert you before you attempt to install any potentially harmful extensions, giving you the opportunity to make an informed decision about whether or not to proceed with the installation. It will also scan your device to remove any malicious extensions that may already be there. Also, Guardio traces and eliminates invasive notifications all at once. 2. Look for reviews: Check out Google or Facebook to learn more about any veteran's charity campaign. It's always a good idea to search for reviews and credibility, to verify that it's a genuine effort. Also, if you can't find any additional information or new articles about them, it's probably a scam. 3. Hard-sell tactics are a red flag: Be wary of scammers who try to push you into hasty decisions by making their offers seem urgent or even resorting to threats if you don't comply with their demands. If a charity asks for cash, wire transfers, or gift cards as donations, it's a bad sign. Some frauds may also try to entice you to give by offering incentives. 4. Check the charity´s credentials: Governments heavily monitor all reputable charities. So visit the State Government's official website for more information. 5. Illegitimate charities will contact you without warning: If you're ever contacted by someone asking for a donation to a military charity, make sure to confirm their identity first. You can always contact the legitimate charity to confirm if they claim to be a well-known charity.

Wrapping up

When you want to donate to a veteran's charity, be sure to do your research first. Many scammers out there will take your hard-earned money and use it for themselves instead of the intended cause. You can avoid these scams by following the steps outlined in this blog post and using a browser protection tool like Guardio. With a little bit of effort, you can ensure that your donation goes to a worthy cause.

Guardio is a Chrome extension that monitors suspicious activity and blocks hackers from stealing your data.