DATCP Working to Help Service Members, Veterans During Military Consumer Protection Month

July is Military Consumer Protection Month, and the
Wisconsin Department of Ag, Trade and Consumer Protection is educating both
active-duty service members and veterans about the different types of scams
that target them. Michelle Reinen, Director of the state Consumer Protection
Bureau says there are a number of ways scammers try to take advantage of
members of the military and their families. Those scams include identity theft,
phishing calls that spoof a veterans organization or even the government with
information about their benefits, and imposter schemes involving charities that
are meant to benefit our veterans, among others. The Federal Trade Commission
reports more than 36-thousand service members, veterans or family members reported
an imposter scam in 2018 – with total losses of 34-million dollars.

Reinen says its important to keep members of the
military, their families and veterans informed about these scams and how to
protect themselves from falling victim. “We really hope that if you know a
veteran or an active-duty service member, that you can help educate them, or
help protect them by just keeping them on guard – talk to them about the
different scams they will be targeted for, and help them bridge the gap to the services
we provide so they can take and report any of these scams to us, or at least
reach out for the services so we can assist them if they fall victim to a scam.”

Find consumer protection resources for military families here