CALGARY – Service members, veterans and their families are among the most tantalizing targets for fraudsters, the Better Business Bureau says, as that group carries a significantly higher risk to be scammed than the general population.
According to a new report released Thursday, the BBB says military consumers are 32 per cent more likely to be scammed than the general population.
The agency says the most common scam that military members and veterans fall victim to are employment scams, where victims in that area lost an average $2,460, over double the amount lost by regular consumers.
"Whether you're looking for a flexible opportunity close to home or hoping to secure your first civilian job, it can be difficult to identify if an opportunity is made for your or just plain made up," the BBB says in a release.
In order to guard yourself against these scams, the group suggests military consumers should be wary of work-from-home opportunities and job offers after you've only spoken on the phone or through email.
Those looking for work should always verify opportunities on the actual company's website and only share information with individuals they know work for the company involved.
The Better Business Bureau says military members are also often targeted in fake cheque/money order scams, tech support scams, online purchase scams and home improvement scams, where 60 per cent of those military families who reported the fraud ended up losing money as a result.
You can report and track scams in your community by using the online BBB Scam Tracker tool.
