In recognition of Military Consumer Protection Month, the New York State Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection warns 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 17% 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.
“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,” New York State Department of Veterans’ Services Commissioner Dr. Viviana M. DeCohen said in a statement.
“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.”
Members of the military community are frequent targets due to their unique circumstances, including steady income, benefits and frequent relocation.
Scams most frequently reported by military members, veterans and their families include imposter scams, online shopping scams and scams involving business and job opportunities.
USE AN ACTIVE DUTY ALERT
According to the FTC, active-duty service members file reports of identity theft at much higher rates than non-military consumers. If called to active duty, put an “Active-Duty Alert” on your credit report to minimize the risk of identity theft.
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 a credit reporting agencies at identitytheft.gov/#/CreditBureauContacts
Once the alert is placed with one of the bureaus, it will send a request to the other two to do the same.
CREDIT MONITORING SCAMS
These scams target active-duty members being deployed, offering to monitor credit and defend against identity theft but are more often ploys to steal credit information.
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, visit a credit reporting agency online: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN BUYING AND SELLING A VEHICLE
— Be skeptical of “military friendly” sellers and anyone 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 — ads for military personnel discounts but charge upfront fees requiring a wire transfer. Scammers often list vehicles for sale on online marketplaces like eBay, Facebook and Craigslist. They collect a deposit but never deliver the vehicle.
— If buying, research the vehicle and its cost. Some dealers try to overcharge service members, offer unfavorable terms or add expensive optional products. Take time to research the price, check out the car carefully and get a used vehicle history report.
— If 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 the car is worth.
— If financing, do extensive research to understand the options. Be wary of “instant approval” military loans — “no credit check,” “all ranks approved” — that can have high interest rates and hidden fees.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN RENTING
— Learn to identify fake rental properties. Scammers often steal a photo online to create a fake listing and steal deposits or the private information provided on an application. These scams often target military personnel looking for housing near a base and may offer military discounts.
— Be cautious of listings advertising an unusually low rent or appear to be much nicer than other properties at that price point.
— If required to pay a fee via wire transfer or a money transfer app to see the property, this is a red flag. These forms of payment are often not recoverable. Make sure to pay any application fees or deposits by check or credit card.
KNOW WHO YOU’RE DEALING WITH
Scam artists will often portray themselves as someone else to gain trust and trick you into giving them 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 the request comes from someone you know, contact them directly to verify. If it is someone you don’t know or don’t know well, ignore them and report the fraud.
Be cautious of anyone claiming to represent the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs who is seeking to recoup an overpayment or offering to help increase your VA benefits for a fee.
If you receive suspicious communication about your benefits, contact the VA directly to verify its validity at 1-800-698-2411.
As a general rule, service members and their families should never give personal information by phone or by clicking links to an unknown company or person.