Reported Scams Targeting Active-Duty Service Members and Veterans increased by 17% in 2025. 

$684 Million in Total Losses Reported in 2025. 

Secretary Mosley: “Service members, veterans, and their families give so much to protect our country, and they should never become targets for fraud.”

In recognition of Military Consumer Protection Month, the New York State Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection is warning members of the military community to be aware of scams targeting active-duty service members and veterans. According to the Federal Trade Commission, the number of reported scams targeting the military community increased by seventeen percent in 2025 compared to 2024. Fraudulent activity involving veterans, service members and their families cost victims a reported total of at least $684 million in 2025, with 35,215 fraud reports filed.

“The alarming rise in scams targeting the military community is a serious concern,” said Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley. “Coming from a military family I know all too well how much service members, veterans, and their respective families give to protect our country, and they should never become targets or victims to fraud. This Military Consumer Protection Month, the Division of Consumer Protection is urging the military community to learn the warning signs of common scams and use the free resources available to help protect their identity and finances.” 

Major General Ray Shields, Adjutant General of New York said, “Service members, just like all New Yorkers, should be aware of the ways unscrupulous businesses and individuals sometimes seek to take advantage of them. I commend the New York State Division of Consumer Protection for highlighting these issues and the ways in which our servicemen and women are targeted. Take a minute to think before you provide any personal or financial information to anyone over the phone, especially if you receive an unsolicited call, text, or email.”

“All Who Served have earned our respect, gratitude, and support – yet unscrupulous scammers continue to exploit the trust, benefits, and strong sense of connection within the military community,” said New York State Department of Veterans’ Services Commissioner Dr. Viviana M. DeCohen. “We urge Veterans, Service Members and Military Families to remain vigilant, protect their personal and financial information, and pause before responding to unexpected requests for money or sensitive information. Awareness is one of our strongest defenses, and trusted, accredited assistance is available to help members of our community protect themselves and the valuable benefits they have earned.”

Why the Military Community is At Risk
Members of the military community are frequent targets of scammers due to their unique circumstances including their steady income, benefits and frequent relocation. This combination of circumstances creates opportunities that scammers are eager to exploit. The scams most frequently reported by military members, veterans and their families include imposter scams, online shopping scams and scams involving business and job opportunities.

How to Protect Yourself and Your Family Against Scams
The Division of Consumer Protection recommends all active-duty service members, veterans and their families follow these scam prevention tips to help identify when something isn’t right and that they are prepared to protect their personal information, accounts, identity and money from fraudulent practices.

TIP #1: PREVENT IDENTITY THEFT BY USING AN “ACTIVE-DUTY ALERT”
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reports that active-duty service members file reports of identity theft at much higher rates than non-military consumers. If you are called to active duty, put an “Active-Duty Alert” on your credit report to minimize your risk for identity theft. Once the alert has been activated, benefits include:

• A requirement that businesses verify identity before issuing new credit.
• One full year of continuous protection, which may be renewed as many times as needed to cover the period of deployment.
• Removal of the service member’s name from marketing lists for unsolicited credit and insurance offers for two years.

To add a free Active-Duty Alert on your credit report, contact any one of the three main credit reporting agencies here: https://www.identitytheft.gov/#/CreditBureauContacts. Once you have placed an Active-Duty Alert on your credit report with one of the bureaus, that bureau will send a request to the other two bureaus to do the same, so you do not have to contact all three.

Don’t fall for credit monitoring scams: These scams target active-duty members who are being deployed with offers to monitor credit and defend against identity theft, but are more often ploys to steal the victim’s credit information, leaving the victim to foot the bill. An Active-Duty Alert on your credit report is the safer way to protect your credit. If you prefer to monitor your credit, the FTC, in collaboration with the credit bureaus, provides free credit monitoring services to active-duty military personnel and members of the National Guard. For details on how to sign up for free credit monitoring, go to the websites for each of the credit reporting agencies Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.

TIP #2: PROTECT YOUR PURCHASES AND INVESTMENTS
No matter where you shop, do your research first. It’s important to search online for credible opinions from trusted sources and compare reviews from a variety of websites. 

Know what to look for when buying or selling a vehicle:
A vehicle is one of the most expensive purchases you will make. If you are buying or selling a vehicle, these are a few red flags to look for:

• Be skeptical of so-called “military friendly” sellers: Scammers often do this to get you to let down your guard. Be wary of anyone that is offering an “incredible deal,” sometimes claiming to be the family of a service member who was recently deployed or died in combat. In both situations, the scammer is using service member affinity to discourage you from looking too closely at the deal or negotiating in good faith.
• Be cautious of fake websites or fake listings: These fake websites often post ads that offer discounts for military personnel but charge upfront fees that require a wire transfer. Scammers often list vehicles for sale on online marketplaces like eBay, Facebook and Craigslist. The scammers collect a deposit but never deliver the vehicle.
• If you’re buying: Research the vehicle and its cost. Some dealers try to overcharge service members, offer unfavorable terms or add expensive optional products, like paint protection, service contracts or Guaranteed Asset Protection (GAP) insurance. Don’t act on impulse or pressure. Salespeople will often want you to buy the car immediately, but you should take the time to research the price and check out the car carefully, including getting a used vehicle history report.
• If you are selling or trading in a vehicle: Use a resource like Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds or the National Automobile Dealers Association’s Guides to determine how much your current car is worth.
• If financing, do extensive research to understand your options: Be wary of “instant approval” military loans (“no credit check,” “all ranks approved”) that can have high interest rates and hidden fees.
• Learn to identify fake rental properties: Scammers will often steal a photo from the internet to create a fake rental listing and steal your deposits or the private information provided on your rental application. Often, these scams target military personnel looking for housing near a base and may offer military discounts.
• “Too Good to Be True” Listings: Be cautious of listings advertising an unusually low rent or that appear to be much nicer than other properties at that price point.
• Wire or Money Transfer Requests: If you are required to pay a fee via wire transfer or money transfer app to see the property, this is a red flag for a scam as these forms of payment are often not recoverable after they have been paid. Make sure to pay any application fees or deposits by check or credit card. 

TIP #3: KNOW WHO YOU ARE DEALING WITH

• Scam artists will often portray themselves as someone they are not to gain your trust and trick you into giving them your personal information or money. They may pose as a friend on social media, a romantic interest on a dating app, or a fellow service member. If someone reaches out to you over social media, email, phone, text or dating apps and asks for money or financial information, protect yourself. If the request comes from someone you know well, contact them directly to verify it was them. If it is someone you don’t know or don’t know well, ignore them and report the fraud.
• Veterans, be cautious of anyone claiming to represent the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) who is seeking to recoup an overpayment or offering to help increase your VA benefits for a fee. Scammers may contact veterans by phone, email, text message, or social media and request personal information or payment. If you receive suspicious communication about your benefits, contact the VA directly to verify the validity of the contact at 1-800-MyVA411 (1-800-698-2411) and work with a VA accredited representative.
• As a general rule, service members and their families should never give personal information by phone or by clicking on links in emails to an unknown company or person. When in doubt, disengage from communication until you have had time to research the company or person to make sure they are legitimate.

About the New York State Division of Consumer Protection
Follow the New York Department of State on Facebook, X and Instagram and check in every Tuesday for more practical tips that educate and empower New York consumers on a variety of topics. Sign up to receive consumer alerts directly to your email or phone here. 

The New York State Division of Consumer Protection provides voluntary mediation between a consumer and a business when a consumer has been unsuccessful at reaching a resolution on their own. The Consumer Assistance Helpline 1-800-697-1220 is available Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm, excluding State Holidays, and consumer complaints can be filed at any time at www.dos.ny.gov/consumerprotection. The Division can also be reached via X at @NYSConsumer or Facebook.

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