The deputy director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection at the Federal Trade Commission during testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs reiterated the commission’s call for legislation to revive its ability to seek relief for veterans who are exploited monetarily.

Deputy Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection Monica Vaca said the commission’s law enforcement agenda includes “combating scams and unlawful tactics aimed at the military community." Military consumers were defrauded of more than $414 million in 2022, which is a more than 50% increase from the previous year, according to an April 19 news release.

“The Commission will continue to aggressively deploy the resources it has to stomp out unfair or deceptive practices, including those that prey on veterans, service members and their families," Vaca said in the testimony.

Vaca addressed ways the commission is addressing the issue, including tracking and detecting military fraud, enforcement actions and rulemaking initiatives plus consumer education and outreach, the news release reported.

This comes at a critical time when veterans and service members face increased vulnerability to fraud, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Vaca's testimony. The agency's efforts to protect these groups from deceptive business practices are commendable, and Congress must work closely with the FTC to strengthen consumer protection laws to prevent such scams.

The FTC has also urged Congress to increase funding for the agency to further support its efforts to protect veterans and service members, Vaca's testimony reported. With the FTC's continued efforts and support from lawmakers, veterans and service members can better avoid falling victim to scams and enjoy the benefits they have earned.

"Combating these practices is an important part of the FTC's consumer protection mission, and we will use every tool at our disposal to do so," Vaca said in her testimony.