Attorney General Ashley Moody launched the Patriot Protection Week Campaign on Monday in an effort to provide assistance to Florida service members and veterans.
As part of the campaign, the attorney general will provide tips and resources to service members and veterans via Twitter. She will also release a Military Consumer Protection guide that includes information about common scams that target military members, veterans and their families.
“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,” Attorney General Moody said in a statement.
You can follow the campaign by following the attorney general's Twitter account. You can also follow the hashtag #ProtectOurPatriotsOAG on Twitter.
Attorney General Moody said the following can be done to avoid military-related scams:
- Beware of scammers using misleading photos or language to imply an 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.
The Attorney General’s Military Consumer Protection Guide can be downloaded by clicking here.
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.
If you believe you have been a victim of a scam, file a complaint by calling 1-1-866-9NO-SCAM or by visiting MyFloridaLegal.com.