In honor of Veterans Day, California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a consumer alert warning veterans and their families to be aware of scams and fraud, including fraud perpetrated by predatory individuals or companies who exploit veterans seeking assistance accessing their benefits. Unaccredited claims representatives, sometimes referred to as “claim sharks,” often promise a faster claims process or guaranteed benefit increases. These individuals or companies are not accredited by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and operate beyond the protections and oversight of official VA regulations and their claims system. In today’s alert, Attorney General Bonta provides tips and information to help veterans guard against scams.
“On Veterans Day, and on all days, we recognize the significant sacrifices and contributions of veterans. Honoring our heroes means keeping them safe, and as part of that commitment, today we raise awareness of predatory practices targeting veterans,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Whether a person claims to be from the VA, or an offer sounds too good to be true, I urge Californians to triple check every offer and seek assistance from reliable and accredited channels when in doubt. Our veterans deserve protection as strong as their service.”