Watch out for scams and stay safe while online shopping

The holiday season may be over, but online sales continue. Post-holiday deals attract shoppers—and unfortunately, scammers. Fraud targeting Veterans and their families often increases during this time as criminals exploit online shopping and holiday generosity. VA wants to empower Veterans and their families to recognize deceptive tactics and refuse to engage with scammers.

An increase in post-holiday shopping deals create opportunities for scammers to exploit Veterans and their families. Be alert for e-commerce scams; fraudsters often create fake websites or impersonate legitimate sellers offering steep discounts. Veterans may pay for items that never arrive or receive counterfeit, low-quality products. Scammers may also steal credit card information during transactions.

Most common red flags to watch for

Scammers often use similar tactics to pressure Veterans into acting quickly. Be cautious if you encounter any of the following warning signs:

• Urgent or threatening language.
• Requests for payment via gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or prepaid gift cards.
• Unsolicited messages.
• Misspelled or suspicious website addresses.
• Offers that seem too good to be true.
• Requests for login credentials, one-time passcodes or sensitive information.

Tips to avoid e-commerce scams 

• Check reviews and reputation: Search the company name on sites like Trustpilot or the Better Business Bureau. Use Google’s Safe Browsing site to verify if the URL is flagged as unsafe.  
• Verify social media presence: Legitimate businesses usually have active social media presence with real followers and engagement. Avoid accounts that are new or inactive. 
• Check domain age and registration: Use WHOIS lookup tools to confirm a website is registered. Recently registered domains claiming to be a major brand are suspicious and potentially a scam. 
• Examine the URL: Look for “https” and a padlock icon. Watch for misspellings or extra characters. Scammers often mimic legitimate domains (e.g., www.vacanteen.us/ instead of vacanteen.va.gov). 
• Check site quality: Poor grammar, spelling errors or low-quality images can signal a scam. Scammers often copy logos and layouts to appear credible. 
• Verify contact details: Legitimate sites provide physical addresses, valid email addresses and working phone numbers. Missing contact information is suspicious. 
• Use trusted retailers: Avoid buying directly from social media ads or unverified websites.  

Other common scams

• Fake shipping notices: Scammers send emails or texts about delivery delays, including links that request payment or personal information. Legitimate carriers like USPS and UPS never ask for payment or sensitive details via unsolicited links. Always track packages through official websites or mobile apps.  
• Impersonation and VA benefit scams: Scammers may pose as government officials to request personal and financial information under the pretense of updating records or processing benefits. 
• Charity scams: Fraudsters create fake charities or impersonate legitimate ones to solicit donations for Veterans or military causes. Always verify the legitimacy of a charity before donating.  
• Phishing scams: Scammers send emails, texts or call pretending to be from trusted organizations, like VA or banks, to steal sensitive information or trick Veterans into clicking malicious links. 
• Gift card scams: Scammers impersonate trusted sources and demand payment via gift cards, claiming it is the only way to settle a debt or pay a fine. Common examples include emails impersonating your boss or family member asking for gift cards to cover a holiday emergency, such as party expenses or helping a stranded relative.  
• Prize and sweepstakes scams: Scammers claim the Veteran has won a prize or sweepstakes but requires a fee or personal information to claim the reward.  Legitimate contests never ask for payment upfront. 
• Financial scams: Fraudsters offer fake investments or loans targeting Veterans, often promising guaranteed returns or low-interest rates. 

How to protect against scams 

• Verify via VA.gov: If you receive any communication about your VA benefits, log into your official VA.gov account immediately or call VA at 1-800-827-1000. 
• Never share login information: VA will never ask for your VA login credentials or password. Official communication is typically sent by mail. Avoid emails or texts asking for personal details or directing you to non-VA websites. 
• Be cautious of unsolicited contact: VA communicates through official mail and secure messages. Ignore emails or texts requesting personal details or urgent payments. Verify the sender before responding.  
• Do not pay upfront fees: VA and accredited representatives provide free assistance with benefits and debt management. If someone demands payment, it’s a scam. Find a VA accredited representative to assist you.
• Avoid suspicious links: Scammers often send fake links or attachments to install malware or steal personal data. Review sender’s details carefully and avoid clicking on unknown links or attachments.  
• Use trusted payment methods: Requests for payment via wire transfers, cryptocurrency, prepaid debit cards, money transfers or gift cards are signs of a scam.  
• Be cautious of social media: Avoid accepting online friend requests or replying to messages from unknown individuals. Regularly review your friends and followers, remove anyone you do not recognize or trust. Select the highest privacy settings.  
• Protect sensitive information: Never share personal or financial details like Social Security Numbers or bank account information in response to unsolicited requests. 

By safeguarding personal and financial information and practicing safe online habits, Veterans and their families can shop confidently and avoid online shopping fraud.

If a Veteran is missing a VA benefit payment, identifies a discrepancy in payments or finds suspicious activity with their direct deposit account, contact the VA immediately at 1-800-827-1000. Veterans who suspect they have experienced fraud can find resources to file a report to the appropriate agency by visiting vsafe.gov or calling  833-38V-SAFE.