Right now, the BBB is offering tips and advice on how to avoid scams that target armed forces personnel since July is Military Consumer Protection Month. I received a very informative email from Danielle Kane, Tri-Cities Marketplace Mgr. for the Better Business Bureau. She wrote about the most common types of scams that target military personnel:

The “grandparents scam.”
This is where scammers will call a grandparent or older relative of a military man or woman claiming that their niece, nephew or grandchild has been hurt and the issue is now an emergency. In this instance, scammers knowingly choose relatives with family members in the service where emergency situations could be harder to vet.
Tips:
Check out the story and take your time
Be cautious when choosing the method to send money

 

The "romance scam."
This is where con artists pose as real soldiers on dating sites or social media, chatting with persons on the other end to build relationships. These scammers pull on users’ heartstrings to make the victim(s) feel like the relationship is genuine, only to eventually ask for money.
Tips:
Ask for details to keep the story straight
Investigate the photos

If you would like more information on these and other scams, contact Danielle.Kane@thebbb.org

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