The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Biden-Harris Administration have announced the launch of VSAFE.gov and 1-833-38V-SAFE (1-833-388-7233), a new government-wide website and call center aimed at protecting veterans, service members, and their families from fraud and scams.
These resources are designed to inform veterans and their families about common fraud schemes, provide tools for self-protection, and offer an outlet for reporting incidents. The initiative is part of the White House VSAFE (Veterans, Servicemembers, and Families Fraud Evasion) interagency Policy Council effort. It consolidates resources from multiple federal agencies including the Department of Defense, Department of Education, Federal Trade Commission, Internal Revenue Service, Social Security Administration, among others.
Fraud prevention is critical as the VA delivers more care and benefits under the PACT Act signed into law by President Biden two years ago. The increase in benefits has made veterans potential targets for fraudulent activities. VA Secretary Denis McDonough emphasized the importance of these tools: “This new call center and website are a one-stop-shop for Veterans, service members, and their families to help avoid fraud and scams.”
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Rohit Chopra noted that "predatory actors are constantly looking for new ways to exploit new technologies," while Under Secretary of Education James Kvaal highlighted efforts in preventing scams targeting servicemembers through federal student aid programs.
Ashish Vazirani from the Department of Defense pointed out that this initiative connects twenty-six federal agencies to prevent scams effectively. FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel reiterated the agency's commitment to combating misleading robocalls targeting military households.
Acting Social Security Administration Inspector General Michelle Anderson praised the centralized resources for helping consumers safeguard their assets. FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection Director Samuel Levine underscored ongoing collaborations to protect military consumers from fraud.
IRS Taxpayer Services Chief Ken Corbin expressed pride in partnering with other agencies to assist veterans affected by fraud or identity theft.
Key features include:
- A centralized website (VSAFE.gov) offering information on various types of fraud.
- A shared call line (833-38V-SAFE) providing assistance with fraud-related concerns.
- Common training materials across agencies ensuring effective routing of calls to appropriate entities.
VA urges veterans not to pay any fees for applying for VA health care or benefits; they can apply directly through VA.gov or with a VA-accredited service representative at no cost.
This initiative is part of a broader government effort to protect veterans from fraud. The VA is also launching a strategic communications campaign to raise awareness about claims predators, sending cease-and-desist letters to predatory actors, conducting public outreach, creating a Veteran fraud protection resource kit, among other measures.
All veterans, service members, and their families are encouraged to visit VSAFE.gov for more information on dealing with fraud.
