Rep. Calvert Introduces Bill to Protect Veterans from Scams and Fraud

Today, Congressman Ken Calvert (CA-41) introduced the Veterans Scam and Fraud Evasion (VSAFE) Act, H.R. 1663, to establish a Veterans Scam and Fraud Evasion Officer at the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA). 

“Through their service and sacrifice, our veterans had our backs. Now, we must have theirs by protecting them from scams and fraud,” said Rep. Calvert. “The VSAFE Act will ensure the VA has a centralized effort to coordinate and oversee its scam and fraud prevention activities. The sophistication of scams and fraud is constantly increasing, which makes it even more critical to have an effective resource in the Veterans Department dedicated to protecting our veterans.”

According to a report from the Federal Trade Commission, U.S. veterans and military retirees reported $350 million in total fraud losses in 2023. While a number of departments and staff work in an uncoordinated manner to combat fraud within the VA and other agencies, the VSAFE Act will establish a comprehensive effort that will assist our veterans by establishing a Veterans Scam and Fraud Evasion Officer in the Department of Veterans Affairs who is responsible for all fraud prevention efforts. By providing veterans with more consistent guidance on how to identify, report, and avoid fraud and scam attempts, we can reduce their occurrence. 

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