VA is committed to providing key benefits and resources to help Veterans manage financial stress and safeguard their earned benefits against fraud. Veterans have made extraordinary sacrifices in service to our nation and deserve clear, accessible support to maintain their well-being and financial stability.
Fraud is a distressing experience, with emotional impacts that often endure longer than financial losses. Whether it’s identity theft, benefits theft or other financial scams, the emotional toll can be significant.
Effects of stress caused by fraud
Assess your feelings and recognize signs indicating you may need help. These can include:
Shame and embarrassment: Individuals who have experienced fraud frequently feel foolish or at fault, which often leads to profound shame and unreported incidents due to perceived stigma.
Anxiety and fear: The realization that one’s personal information has been compromised can lead to intense anxiety.
Anger and frustration: Navigating the slow and complex process of fraud resolution can lead to significant frustration and anger.
Depression: The financial and emotional loss associated with fraud can lead to feelings of hopelessness and depression.
Loss of trust: A fraudulent experience can erode trust in others, making it difficult to form or maintain relationships.
Physical health issues: Chronic stress resulting from fraud can lead to physical symptoms such as headaches, sleep disturbances and gastrointestinal issues.
Suicidal ideation: In severe cases, the emotional impact of fraud can lead to suicidal ideation. Tragically, some suicides have been linked to fraud victimization.
Take steps to improve your mental health
If you recognize you could benefit from help, it can be empowering to act and find ways to move forward.
Seek support: Reach out to friends, family or support groups. Don’t isolate yourself.
Get professional help: Consider seeking counseling to help process emotions, and develop prevention and healing strategies.
Stay organized: Keep detailed records of the actions taken to resolve the fraud. An organized approach can reduce anxiety.
Practice self-care: Engage in activities that promote relaxation and well-being.
Stay up to date: Learn about fraud prevention and recovery. Knowledge empowers you to make better decisions.
The following resources are designed to support Veterans, caregivers and dependents with money management and other life challenges.
If you’re a Veteran in crisis or concerned about one, contact the Veterans Crisis Line to receive 24/7 confidential support. You don’t have to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care to connect. To reach responders, dial 988, then press 1, chat online or text 838255.
FINVET: These are resources to help you manage finances with a focus on protective factors that promote mental health and reduce suicide risk.
Make The Connection: Hear from other Veterans and learn more about experiencing financial and legal issues, treatment options, self-help tools and resources to help you overcome challenges.
VA.gov/REACH: Support for various challenges that is specifically designed for Veterans.
If you are experiencing difficulty making payments on your VA home loan, you can access information to help avoid foreclosure and obtain personalized assistance on the VA Loan Guaranty webpage.
VA benefits payments delivered by direct deposit can provide stability and help protect your benefits. VA’s Veterans Benefits Banking Program (VBBP) can help. If you are a Veteran, beneficiary, caregiver or survivor experiencing financial difficulties, you can utilize VBBP to meet with an accredited financial counselor who can provide personalized coaching, counseling and financial education tailored to your needs. Visit VBBP today to learn more about this free service.
MentalHealth.va.gov is your home for VA mental health care. Learn about signs, symptoms and conditions that may help you better understand what you’re experiencing, as well as evidence-based treatments that can help you get back on track. Explore options for accessing care at VA to find what’s best and most convenient for you.
While fraud-induced stress can have a profound impact, you can take deliberate steps to care for your mental health and mitigate its effects. By using available VA resources, seeking support and adopting smart financial practices, you can achieve financial stability. Stay informed and take steps to rebuild your financial security.
Protecting your personal data is your greatest shield against all forms of fraud. Scammers continually adapt their fraudulent schemes, but their end goal is to obtain your personal data or account information.
Follow these simple steps to protect your personal data and benefits
Don’t share personal information online. Scammers can access personal information posted to social media to steal your identity.Be careful where you click. Look for security-enabled website addresses that start with “https”. The “s” indicates security. Review all documents thoroughly. You should never sign a blank form for someone else to complete later.
Use strong, complex passwords. Enable multi-factor authentication when possible.
Don’t fall for phishing schemes. Be aware of common phishing tactics. Verify the sender’s email address before opening any attachments or clicking on links. If you experience ransomware, do not respond to any threat. Report the incident immediately.
Take active measures to safeguard your personal information. Being prepared is one of the best ways to maintain a healthy outlook. To learn more about fraud and specific benefits scams, visit the VA Fraud Prevention webpage.
If you miss a VA benefits payment, identify a discrepancy in payments, or find suspicious activity with your direct deposit account, contact VA immediately at 1-800-827-1000. Veterans who suspect they have experienced fraud can learn more and report it to the appropriate agency at VSAFE.gov or by calling (833) 38V-SAFE.