On this Veterans Day, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes joined forces with local Vietnam War veterans to launch a series of public service announcements aimed at helping veterans defend against scams specifically designed to target them. The initiative, starring veterans Tom McCannat, David Lucier, and Frank Moreno, emphasizes the importance of vigilance against fraudulent practices that could threaten their financial safety.
According to a statement obtained by the Office of the Attorney General of Arizona, the campaign was launched on a day of honoring service members, with Mayes voicing pride in the collaborative effort. "This Veterans Day, I am proud to be working with Arizona veterans to help protect former service members from fraud and scammers," said Mayes.
Reflecting on recent statistics that paint a troubling picture, the Attorney General's office highlighted that service members and veterans reported being targeted by scams related to their military service in the past year alone. The data reveals that scammers have taken more than $1.4 billion from veterans over the past five years. Even more startling, the Federal Trade Commission found that in 2024, active-duty members, National Guard personnel, veterans, and their families lost 25 percent more to scammers than in the previous year, amounting to a staggering $584 million in reported losses.
The Public Service Announcements serve to caution veterans by identifying the common ruses that scammers employ. For instance, fake charities misrepresenting themselves as veterans' organizations or "claim sharks" illegitimately charging fees for assistance with VA benefit filing are tactics frequently used. Moreover, the PSA warns against scam calls requesting personal information, under the disguise of the VA, which the agency would never solicit via such means, and offers specifically designed to appear as benevolent VA overpayments.
In the videos, Attorney General Mayes provides actionable advice for veterans to safeguard themselves against such deceptions. Among the tips shared, one such guidance is to "Hang up, or delete messages, from any numbers you don’t know," reiterating the significance of cautious correspondence. Veterans can secure legitimate assistance with their benefits from the VA and should be wary of any unsolicited outreach that might, in fact, be a siren’s call to scam them out of their rightful entitlements. Mayes emphasizes using VA-accredited representatives and cautions against paying for military record copies, which are freely available through the VA.
Attorney General Mayes states, "Arizona’s veterans protected us. Now, we need to work together to protect them." For veterans who may have already been impacted by consumer fraud, avenues for complaining are available, with contact details for the Attorney General’s Office in both Phoenix and Tucson provided on their website, or accessible through a toll-free number for residents outside these metro areas.
