Military families shouldn’t have to worry about scams

Last year, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) received more than 192,000 reports of fraud, identity theft and other consumer issues, from active duty military personnel, retirees, veterans, reserve and National Guard forces, and family members.

Whether they encounter scams or unfair business practices, current and former service members, and their families, can count on the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) for help.

“Unfortunately, they are often targeted by scammers hoping to take advantage of their distinct culture, tightknit community and, in the case of active duty servicemembers, their busy lives and distance from home,” said DATCP secretary Randy Romanski.

More than one in three reports to the FTC from military consumers in 2023, indicated they lost money to fraud. More than $477 million in losses were reported, with $350 million taken from military retirees and veterans.

With more than 42,000 reports, the top fraud category was imposter scams, followed by online shopping fraud, with more than 13,000 reports.

“Service members, veterans and their families have already given so much to this nation, it is appalling to hear about bad actors targeting and taking advantage of them,” said Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs secretarydesignee James Bond. “If you need assistance, please know there are free resources available.”

Last year, there were more than 39,000 reports of identity theft, with active duty service members nearly three times more likely than the general public to report theft directly from their bank accounts. Rapid response is key to recovering from identity theft, making service members more vulnerable.

Consider setting up fraud alerts on credit cards and a security freeze on a credit report, which alerts the consumer as soon as a new account is requested in their name.

For more information and consumer protection resources, or to file a complaint, visit ConsumerProtection. wi.gov, or contact the Consumer Protection Hotline, at 800-422-7128, or DATCPHotline@wisconsin.gov.

For assistance with federal and state veteran benefits, contact county or Tribal veteran service officer, who will act as a guide through the process. For state veteran benefit inquiries, email WisVets@dva.wisconsin.gov or visit wisvets.com.