Tester warns service members and veterans of internet scam

(WOLF POINT, Mont.) – Senator Jon Tester is warning service members, veterans and military retirees about a series of emails designed to scam them into releasing personal financial information.

The emails appear to come from the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS).  They claim that people who receive disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs can obtain additional benefits from the IRS.  The emails then ask for personal financial information.

The emails appear to be official as they come from an address ending with the “.mil” suffix.

Anyone who receives these or similar emails should not respond to them.

Tester encourages anyone who has responded to these emails or who has any questions or concerns to contact the VA.

In January, Tester brought Holly Petraeus, who heads the Office of Servicemember Affairs for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, to Montana.  Petraeus, who has been actively involved in military family advocacy for 30 years and is married to CIA Director and retired four-star General David Petraeus, talked to Montana service members about financial challenges, including internet scams and identity theft. 

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