A warning has been issued throughout the state of Florida over scammers targeting veterans, active-duty military members, and their families.
The Florida Department of Elder Affairs, through its Operation Senior Shield initiative, has issued a scam alert to tell citizens to verify before they donate to any charity claiming to be raising money for military causes.
“Floridians are incredibly generous, especially when it comes to supporting our veterans, active-duty military members, and their families,” the DOEA said in a statement to Military.com. “Unfortunately, scammers understand that generosity and often exploit it by creating fake charities and emotional fundraising appeals that appear legitimate.”
The DOEA’s warning cites examples of how scammers have tried and succeeded in duping unsuspecting citizens into donating to a fake military-related charity.
The DOEA says scammers often pretend to represent veteran or military support organizations, use emotional stories or images on social media to garner attention, or create fake online fundraising campaigns to collect donations.
Other tactics listed by the department include pressuring individuals to donate immediately and requesting payment through gift cards, wire transfers or payment apps.
At the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, our message is simple: take a moment to verify before you donate. A few extra minutes of research can help ensure your generosity reaches the people and organizations that truly deserve your support.
Citizens Urged to Recognize Red Flags
According to the DOEA, there are common red flags citizens should consider, including high-pressure requests for immediate donations, social media fundraisers with limited details or verification, and organizations with names similar to legitimate charities but not the actual charity. Other red flags listed by the DOEA involve any request for unusual forms of payment and a lack of clear information about how donations will be used.
The scams that pretend to represent military causes are especially concerning to the DOEA, because they prey on a person’s patriotism and support for those who serve our country.
“Supporting veterans and military families matters, and verifying before donating helps ensure your generosity reaches the people who truly need it,” the DOEA’s statement reads. “Staying informed through Operation Senior Shield can help you recognize warning signs, avoid scams, and help protect older adults across Florida.”
The Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs reports there are approximately 1.38 million military veterans in the state, representing the second or third-largest veteran population in the country after Texas and sometimes California. There are also approximately 68,000 active-duty military personnel stationed in the state, making Florida among the top five states nationwide for active-duty troop population.
National Guard and Reserve officers in Florida total 63,000. Driving these numbers are two dozen active military installations across multiple branches of the armed forces.
“Many Floridians proudly support veterans, active-duty service members, and military families throughout the year,” the DOEA statement said. “Unfortunately, scammers sometimes exploit that generosity through fake veteran charities and fraudulent fundraising campaigns, especially online and on social media. These scams may appear emotional, urgent, or patriotic to gain trust quickly and pressure individuals into donating before verifying where the money is actually going.”
Advice, Resources for Unsuspecting Victims
The best advice, according to the DOEA, is to donate directly through verified organization websites, avoid donating through gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers and take time to verify before giving money or personal information. The DOEA lists several sources that can be contacted to verify of a military charity is legitimate.
Federal Trade Commission Fraud Reporting: ReportFraud.gov
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center: ic3.gov
Charity monitoring resources: CharityNavigator.org and Give.org
Identity Theft Resource Center: 888-400-5530 or idtheftcenter.org
“The goal (of scammers) is often to exploit generosity and collect money or personal information before victims recognize warning signs,” the DOEA statement said. “Reporting suspicious activity may help protect other older adults from financial exploitation and fraud.”
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