Veterans: Don’t pay to apply for VA benefits
Scammers pose as VA employees and charge fees to help you apply for veterans benefits, even though the VA processes all applications for free.
How it works
A scammer contacts you by phone, email, or in person claiming to work for the Department of Veterans Affairs. They offer to speed up your benefits application or guarantee approval if you pay them a processing fee or upfront cost. The VA never charges for benefit applications, but the scammer creates urgency by suggesting you might miss deadlines or lose eligibility without their paid help.
Red flags to watch for
- Someone claiming to be from the VA asks you to pay a fee to apply for benefits
- They promise to speed up your application or guarantee approval
- Contact comes unsolicited while you are separating from military service
- They pressure you to pay quickly to meet a deadline
- They ask for payment via wire transfer, gift card, or cryptocurrency
What to do
Do not pay anyone to apply for VA benefits. The VA never charges applicants. Go directly to VA.gov or call the VA at 1-800-827-1000 to apply for free. If someone contacted you claiming to represent the VA and asked for money, report it to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and to the VA Office of Inspector General.
If this reached you
Source: FTC . Scam Sentinel summarizes official guidance in plain language; it is a decision aid, not a guarantee.