Better Business Bureau wants to take time this Veterans Day to thank those who have served our country.

As they return to civilian life and re-enter the workforce, veterans face unique difficulties. Some veterans find challenges in applying for education benefits, navigating disability claims or searching for employment. Unfortunately, scammers are always ready to strike in challenging situations, and according to a 2019 BBB study, military families and veterans lose 32% more to fraud than other consumers.

Military consumers are also disproportionately affected by employment scams, which were named the riskiest scam by the BBB Scam Tracker Risk Report two years in a row. Veterans reported losing an average of $1,905 to employment scams, almost double the average amount lost by civilians.

Finding trustworthy sources is the best way to avoid scams as you transition from active duty to civilian life. BBB Serving the Heart of Texas recommends beginning with these organizations:

  • BBB Military Line. BBB Military Line offers free consumer education and financial literacy resources for military families and veterans.
  • U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (V.A.). VA.gov, the official website for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, is a hub for materials on every aspect that may impact the transition to civilian life. Information on education benefits, pensions and life insurance can all be found on the Veterans Affairs official website.
  • Veteran Employment Services Office (VESO). VESO offers career opportunity resources within the Department of Veterans Affairs, assisting in the transition from active duty to civilian life.
  • USA Military Assistance. Like the V.A., USA Military Assistance provides guidance in a wide variety of areas. For those on active duty, military tax guidance and free credit monitoring can also be found at USA.gov/Military-Assistance.
  • Veterans Health Administration. An extension of the V.A., the Veterans Health Administration is a health care system specifically for veterans. The administration also offers resources for veterans during the COVID-19 crisis.

Visit us at BBB.org/MilitaryReport to find more marketplace tips for military consumers.

ABOUT BBB®: For more than 100 years, the Better Business Bureau has been helping people find businesses, brands and charities they can trust. In 2019, people turned to BBB more than 183 million times for BBB Business Profiles on nearly 5.8 million businesses and Charity Reports on 11,000 charities, all available for free at bbb.org. The International Association of Better Business Bureaus is the umbrella organization for the local, independent BBBs in the United States, Canada and Mexico. BBB Serving the Heart of Texas serves 105 counties in Austin, Bryan, Corpus Christi, Fort Worth, Permian Basin, San Antonio and Waco.