Watch Out for VA Caregiver Support Stipend Scams

Posted: January 11, 2023

Caregivers and Veterans, a new email and text scam has hit the radar at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Please remain vigilant, and do not fall for offers of VA Caregiver Stipend Recoupment.

Scammers have been sending emails and text messages that appear to come from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Be advised that Veterans Affairs does NOT send threatening emails or texts:

Asking for personal information or money.
Requesting to schedule an informal conference.
Claiming that the VA will take adverse actions on claimants or beneficiaries, such as jail or lawsuits.

If you are a caregiver or veteran, please protect yourself with these tips:

Do NOT respond to suspicious texts.
Do NOT open emails from Department of Veterans Affairs or click on any attachments or links.
Do NOT provide personal, benefits, medical, or financial details online or over the phone.
Do NOT click on online advertisements or engage with suspicious social media.
Make sure all government website URLs start with https:// at the top of your Internet window.
The Department of Veterans Affairs encourages all new caregivers to apply for the VA Caregiver Support program online at the Caregiver Government web page.

If you receive any information about a VA Caregiver Stipend Recoupment, call the Department of Veterans Affairs directly at (800) 827-1000. In fact, the Missouri Senior Medicare Patrol encourages you to only work with the veterans’ service providers you already know. Visit Fight Cyber Crime dot Org for more resources to help veterans, service members, and their families combat cybercrime.