CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — Email, phone and social media scams are targeting veterans who are eligible for benefits under the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act.
The PACT Act expanded healthcare and benefits to an estimated 5 million veterans who were exposed to toxins such as Agent Orange or burn pits during Vietnam and Gulf wars and the post-9/11 era.
According to a press release from the West Virginia Attorney General’s Office, the scammers claim to represent the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and contact their targets, which are usually older veterans, offering to rapidly facilitate their extra PACT Act benefits for a fee.
The VA is offering the following tips to veterans:
- Do not provide personal, benefits, medical or financial details online or over the phone. Federal agencies will not contact you unless you make a request.
- Do not click on online ads or engage with social media that seem suspicious.
- Check for “https://” at the start of website addresses.
- Enable multi-factor authentication on all accounts.
- Work with veterans’ services providers you already know.
- Submit any suspected fraud to ftc.gov.
Official information about the PACT Act is available on the VA’s website.
West Virginia residents who believe they have been the victim of a scam can contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at 800-368-8808 or visit the office’s website.
