Mayes issues warning on scams targeting Arizona veterans

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes issued a consumer advisory warning to Arizona military veterans about scams targeting their military benefits and personal information.

“Veterans put their lives on the line to protect every one of us,” Mayes said. “The people who prey on them — who look a hero in the eye and steal from them — are among the most contemptible criminals we see.”

“By educating veterans and their families, we can make Arizona the hardest state in the nation to scam a veteran. And for those who try anyway — my office will find you, and we will hold you accountable,” she added.

Mayes’ warning comes after she hosted a roundtable with Arizona veterans and consumer advocates last week. Almost 500,000 military veterans live in Arizona, according to the state Department of Veterans’ Services.

John Scott II, director of the DVS, told The Center Square that the “biggest takeaway” he had from the event was the “necessity for better communication between our veteran organizations, government agencies and our veterans to ensure that everyone is made aware of the scams out there.”

“The department is committed to ensuring that our veterans do not get scammed and are receiving all of the benefits they have earned with their service,” he said, answering The Center Square’s questions by email.

Mayes said Arizona veterans are being targeted by scammers because they tend to have steady income from the federal government, trust in authority and institutions and are at stages of life when they can be financially vulnerable.

According to Mayes, scammers are increasingly using social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram to defraud veterans.

She noted some of the most common scams are people trying to restructure people’s Veteran Affairs assets, offering money to buy out a veteran’s benefits and posing as fake veteran charities.

Scott told The Center Square that “the problem of scams targeting Arizona Veterans has become significant in recent years.”

He cited the recent settlement between White Tanks Group LLC and Mayes’ office following the company’s alleged misrepresentation of veterans seeking increases in disability benefits. In the settlement, the company had to pay nearly $2 million in penalties.

“Claims sharks” have been a problem for Arizona veterans, Scott said. He described claims sharks as “companies or individuals who charge illegal fees to help file VA benefits.”

Claims sharks charge veterans “thousands of dollars for assistance without a VA accreditation,” he noted.

Scott said there is currently no estimate of how much money scammers have taken from Arizona veterans.

“Much like other scam crimes, it is difficult to track exactly how many individuals scammers have impacted,” he noted.

Scott said to avoid scams, the DVS encourages veterans and their families to “pause before signing any documents or contracts and to make sure whomever they are working with is accredited with the VA.”

He added that the DVS and most veterans service organizations “will not charge” veterans to file their VA benefits claims.

Scott also said several warning signs exist that veterans and their families can watch for regarding scammers, such as a person or company asking for payment via cash, wire transfer or gift cards.

Another example Scott provided was scammers asking veterans for their Social Security numbers or other personal information via email, text or social media.

The DVS director said if veterans believe they have been victims of a scam, they should contact Mayes’ office or local law enforcement. To report fraud, call the Arizona Attorney General’s Office at 602-542-5763 or go to azag.gov/complaints/consumer.