Attorney General Ashley Moody is launching the Patriot Protection Week Campaign in recognition of National Military Consumer Protection Month. As part of the new campaign, Attorney General Moody will be offering tips and resources directly to Florida service members and veterans on Twitter. Attorney General Moody is also releasing her new Military Consumer Protection Guide full of information about common scams targeting military members, veterans and their families.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “I will always stand up for those who risk their lives for our safety and freedom, and I hope our Patriot Protection Week Campaign will help Florida’s service members and veterans guard against scammers trying to exploit the service of our brave Floridians.”
To follow Attorney General Moody’s Patriot Protection Week Campaign, click here, or search Twitter for #ProtectOurPatriotsOAG.
General tips to help service members and veterans avoid military-related scams include:
- Beware of scammers using misleading photos or language to imply association with a branch of the U.S. Military;
- Verify the authenticity of an email or text that appears to be from a military branch. Phishing schemes use manipulated messages that appear to be from a military branch or the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in an effort to target service members, veterans or family members;
- Ensure any veterans charity soliciting funds is registered with the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services at 800HelpFla.com; and
- Place an active duty alert on credit reports at no cost. An active duty alert requires businesses to take additional steps before granting credit in the name of active duty personnel serving overseas.
To download the Attorney General’s Military Consumer Protection Guide, click here.
As part of the Patriot Protection Week Campaign, Attorney General Moody is also reminding Florida’s 1.5 million veterans and 90,000 active members of the Armed Forces that assistance is available through the Attorney General’s Military and Veterans Assistance Program. To learn more about MVAP, click here.
Any consumer who believes they have been a victim of a scam or other fraudulent activity should file a complaint by calling 1(866) 9NO-SCAM or by visiting MyFloridaLegal.com.
