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HomeResourcesMilLife GuidesSpotting Scams and Safeguarding Your Military Life
MilLife Guides

Spotting Scams and Safeguarding Your Military Life

Overview

Scams can happen to anyone. Frequent moves, deployments and certain military benefits can create opportunities for scammers to target service members, veterans and their families. In this guide, find practical ways to protect your finances and personal information, recognize signs of scams, and learn about the right steps to take if you’ve been targeted.

If you think you may have been scammed, start with immediate recovery steps, including how to secure your personal information and accounts, report the scam and find financial or legal support.

How to protect yourself against scams

The best way to protect yourself from scams is to know the signs so you can spot and avoid them before they happen. Take these steps to protect your financial accounts, personal information and military benefits.

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Protect your accounts.

  • Use strong, unique passwords for every account — including email, banking, TRICARE, myPay and other benefit portals — and never reuse passwords across accounts.
  • Turn on multifactor authentication through an authenticator app instead of text messages when possible.
  • Keep all devices and apps updated with the latest version and security. Pay attention to unfamiliar or unexpected account alerts, password reset requests and login activity.

Pro tip: Use a password manager to help you create and store secure, unique passwords for every account.

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Protect your identity.

  • Avoid sharing personal details on social media, including service-related information, locations, license plates or possible password-recovery answers like maiden or middle names.
  • Store important documents, account numbers and service-related records securely.
  • Protect your Social Security number, military identification number and other personal information.
  • Watch for unfamiliar accounts, inquiries, transactions or address changes. Make checking your credit report a weekly or monthly habit.
  • Consider a credit freeze if you think your information has been exposed.

Pro tip: Deployment, PCS and retirement are high-alert periods. Take extra caution and make preparations beforehand by setting up account alerts, safeguarding important documents and reviewing who can access your accounts.

Identifying common scams

Learn about warning signs, common types of scams and steps you can take if you suspect a scam — to protect yourself and your family.

Recognizing red flags

  • Pretending to be from an organization you know
  • You’re being pressured to act immediately
  • Unusual payment requests by gift card, wire transfer, cryptocurrency or payment app
  • Requests or demands for passwords, one-time codes or personal identifying information
  • Being told that someone in your family had an emergency, and you have to pay
  • Pressure to stay on the phone so you can’t verify the story, and requests for secrecy or instructions not to discuss the situation with others
  • Unexpected or unusual links or attachments
  • Messages from people you don’t know
  • Caller ID displays a familiar organization, agency or phone number that may be spoofed
  • Payment required up front
  • Misspellings, grammar mistakes or something “slightly off”
  • Promises of guaranteed returns, risk-free investments, easy money or approval regardless of your financial situation
  • Notifications about issues with your pay or military benefits
  • Threats of arrest, account suspension or loss of benefits

Pro tip: Scams often contain subtle warning signs. Review the sender’s email address, links, attachments and spelling carefully. When in doubt, contact the organization directly using verified contact information.

Types of scams

Scams can take many forms, but they often rely on the same tactics. Imposter fraud by way of business and government is the highest instance of scams, followed by online shopping, miscellaneous investments & investment advice and romance scams. Some scammers specifically target the military community by taking advantage of service-related circumstances.

Military life can create additional risks for fraud and scams, especially during deployments, PCS moves, retirement and other transitions.

  • Deployment scams can target loved ones at home, especially spouses, by using false communications from a military contact or official agency.
  • PCS scams can include housing offers, movers or shipments, fraudulent deposit requests and fake communications about travel and lodging.
  • Retirement scams can include spouse employment scams and VA benefit scams.

What often starts as an emotional connection — usually online or through a dating app — can quickly turn into requests for money, gift cards or emergency help.

Scammers may target the military community by using distance, deployments or false military identity to build trust quickly. Watch out for:

  • Pressure to move the conversation to a new platform like text, email or another private messaging app
  • Repeated excuses for not talking or meeting in person
  • Quick declarations of love and/or connection
  • Constant engagement
  • Claims of living abroad or being in the military
  • Requests for money or gifts — like a plane ticket to visit you, money to get home from overseas or emergency surgery
  • Offers to help you invest in cryptocurrency or the stock market

Scammers may claim they are DFAS, myPay, the VA, Social Security, the IRS or another government or military agency or program. Watch out for:

  • Pressure to take immediate action
  • Claims that your benefits will be suspended
  • Requests to confirm account information through a link
  • Requests or demands for payment
  • Threats of legal action

Some scams are common everywhere — watch out for:

  • Phishing emails and text messages
  • Fake bank fraud alerts
  • False loans or credit repair offers
  • Online shopping scams
  • Fake businesses
  • Claiming to be government officials
  • Fake car sale listings
  • Debt collection scams
  • Fake charities after disasters or major events

Pro tip: Stay up-to-date with official alerts for current and active scams from the Federal Trade Commission. Visit Charity Navigator to research a charity’s status and check out the FTC’s advice on what to do before donating to a charity.

Suspect a scam?

If you suspect a scam, stop all contact with the scammer and follow these steps to protect yourself:

  • Do not send money or share personal information.
  • Do not click links, open attachments or share one-time codes.
  • Contact the organization the sender claims to represent via official, secure websites or phone numbers.
  • Secure any affected accounts immediately. Change your passwords, enable multifactor authentication, review recent activity and update recovery information if it has been altered.
  • Report the incident to the appropriate agency.

What to do if you’ve been scammed

Anyone can experience a scam, even when they take precautions. While the experience can be overwhelming and isolating, focusing on a few clear steps can help you regain security and move forward with confidence.

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Take immediate steps.

Visit the Federal Trade Commission website to get step-by-step guidance based on the type of scam you’ve experienced. For example:

  • If you sent money, contact your bank, card issuer or payment app immediately.
  • If you shared your personal information, change passwords and PINs immediately, report possible identity theft and consider adding extra protections — such as account alerts, fraud alerts or a credit freeze.
  • If a scammer has gained access to a personal device, update your security settings and change important passwords immediately.
  • If your phone number or financial accounts were hacked, contact your provider immediately.
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Report the scam.

Reporting a scam might feel difficult, but it can help you understand your options, create an official record and protect other potential scam victims.

Keep all records of payment and messages, and record any report, claim or confirmation numbers you receive after you submit your report. You may need to reference these in the future.

If you’ve been scammed, report it to the FTC.

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Find support for financial and legal recovery.

After you’ve taken the steps to secure your accounts and personal information, you can access professional support to help you move forward and reclaim peace of mind.

  • Financial counselors offer free, confidential support to help you make a plan for recovery, including budget adjustments, managing payments and working through debt and credit concerns.
  • Contact your local military legal assistance office for free support to navigate the recovery process. Ask questions about paperwork, consumer issues, documentation and other legal concerns tied to a scam or identity theft.

Finding the right support

No matter your situation, you’ve got support. Whether you’re taking steps to actively protect yourself or rebuilding your finances after a scam, Military OneSource can direct you toward next steps.

Start a live, secure chat to explore your options or call a Military OneSource consultant to connect to support, including scheduling a free appointment with a financial counselor.

800-342-9647

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