Scam-o-meter: Criminals increasingly target veterans through benefit or charity fraud

Key insights

The latest research reveals the scale of fraud targeting people who have risked their lives in the service of their country:

• Military-related scams are on the rise. Military personnel, veterans, and their families reported losing a record-breaking $685[1] million to fraud in 2025, up from $583 million in 2024. 
• Veterans are being targeted specifically. Of the veterans surveyed in 2023, 86%[2] encountered service-related schemes, with half reporting financial losses.
• One in four veterans falls victim to scams. According to another study from 2025, approximately 27%[3] of veterans have lost money to a scam at some point in their lives. 
• Criminals prey on the unfortunate. Common tactics include “benefit buyout” schemes (offering lump sums for future disability payments) and fraudulent charities for wounded service members. 
• Fraudsters tailor scams to match the victim. Scammers lower the target’s guard by posing as representatives from veterans’ organizations or government agencies and by using the specialized language of military benefits. Spoofed caller IDs can make scam calls appear to come from a local Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) office or a Washington, DC government exchange.

What our expert says

Tomas Sinicki, the managing director at Coveron, recommends that veterans and their families take the following steps:

• Verify any benefit independently. Hang up and call the Department of Veterans Affairs through a verified number from the official website. 
• Be skeptical of “exclusive” or “unclaimed” bonuses. Real government agencies never demand upfront fees to unlock benefits. 
• Never rely on just caller ID. Legitimate-looking numbers can hide illegitimate callers, so always verify the caller’s identity independently.
• Research military charities before donating. Scammers can mimic the names of legitimate charities, so always check the group’s rating with an independent watchdog.

Methodology and sources

This article draws on three sources: Christina Ianzito’s article “Common veteran scams and how to avoid them,” published on AARP; Alicia R. Williams and Colette Thayer’s article “The fraud crisis in America: what veterans know, how they are impacted, and their actions that pose risks,” also published on AARP; as well as an article by Michele P. Bratina (Ph.D.), John Schwartz, and Kate Kleinert, “We must be ‘Battle Buddies’ for military veteran victims of fraudulent abuse,” published in ACFE’s Fraud Magazine.

What is Scam-o-Meter?

Scam-o-Meter is an ongoing Coveron series where we keep track of online fraud. In each installment, we look at different scam or fraud trends, break down how they work, and share practical tips on how to protect yourself. We also share the latest data from our own research, our partners, and industry specialists.

References

[1] Christina Ianzito (2026, July 28). “Common veteran scams and how to avoid them.” https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/veterans/ opens in a new tab 

[2] Michele P. Bratina (Ph.D.), John Schwartz, Kate Kleinert (2025, May 1). “We must be ‘Battle Buddies’ for military veteran victims of fraudulent abuse.” https://www.acfe.com/fraud-magazine/all-issues/issue/article?s=2025-mayjune-battle-buddies-military-veteran-fraud opens in a new tab 

[3] Alicia R. Williams, Colette Thayer (2025, October 2). “The fraud crisis in America: what veterans know, how they are impacted, and their actions that pose risks.” https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/work-finances-retirement/fraud-consumer-protection/2025-veterans-fraud-survey/ opens in a new tab