VA Warns Veterans' Families of Post-Death Scam Risks

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Benefits

Scammers often target surviving family members shortly after a Veteran’s death, when benefit payments are issued, and when grief can make some people more vulnerable to manipulation. The scammers may claim military authority or a shared service experience to gain trust, using high-pressure tactics to create a sense of urgency and forcing victims to make quick decisions. These bad actors often contact survivors via social media, email, text or phone.

VA is committed to educating Veterans and their loved ones on the no-cost memorialization benefits available to them, how to avoid scams targeting survivor benefits and how to report a Veteran’s death.

Know your entitlements

VA provides the following entitlements at no cost to eligible Veterans, service members, spouses and qualifying family members:

• Burial in a VA national cemetery.
• Military funeral honors.
• Burial allowance (to cover funeral, burial and transportation costs).
• Headstones/markers/medallions.
• Presidential Memorial Certificates.
• Urns or plaques.
• Survivor disability benefits.
• Grief counseling and support for losses of active duty service members. Rely only on official government sources for accurate information on funeral and memorial benefits.

Best practices to avoid survivor benefits scams

• Always use official VA and Department of War websites. Legitimate government websites will begin with “https://” and display an American flag along with a banner stating, “An official website of the United States government.”
• Never share your personal information, or that of a deceased loved one, with unverified individuals or organizations.
• Do not sign blank forms for someone else to complete later. Always review the contents carefully before signing and keep a copy for your records.
• Be aware that many memorialization services are provided at no cost to eligible Veterans and their families. Never pay a third party for benefits that VA offers free of charge.
• For more information, consider watching the VA Deputy Secretary’s “ Glad You Asked ” video on VA burial entitlements.

Utilize advanced preparation: VA pre-needs determination of eligibility

Veterans can help protect their families from survivor-related fraud by applying in advance for burial in a VA national cemetery. This process, known as a pre-need determination of eligibility for burial, helps simplify burial planning for family members during a difficult time. Veterans can complete the VA Form 40-10007 and submit the required supporting documentation to VA by:

• Mail: NCA Intake Center, P.O. Box 5237, Janesville, WI 53547.
• Fax: National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 1-855-840-8299.

Timely reporting

Family members should report a Veteran’s death to VA as soon as possible to ensure VA stops benefits payments. If the death is not reported promptly, a survivor, fiduciary or executor of the Veteran’s estate may be responsible for repaying any overpayments that are issued.

Contact VA

• By Phone: The fastest way to report a death to VA is by calling 1-800-827-1000 and selecting option 5. Representatives are available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET.
• In Person: Visit a VA regional office near you.

• By Mail: You can also report the death of a Veteran by mail by sending a letter to:

  • Department of Veterans Affairs Claims Intake Center, PO Box 4444, Janesville, WI 53547-4444. If you choose to report in person at a VA regional office or by mail, provide copies of:

• Death certificate or other public record of the Veteran’s death.

• Discharge document (DD214).

• Other forms of identification.

• Include your relationship to the Veteran and any supporting documents to help VA verify the Veteran’s identity.

Reporting fraud

• Contact VA: 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.
• File a Complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC): Report suspected fraud to the FTC. You can file a complaint if a funeral home requests payment for funeral honors or to schedule a burial with VA’s National Cemetery Administration. Complaints can be submitted online at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
• Contact VSAFE: Veterans or survivors who suspect they have experienced fraud are encouraged to seek additional information and report the incident to the appropriate agency at VSAFE.gov or by calling 1-833-38V-SAFE.

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