thedrifter
06-18-07, 07:05 AM
June 18, 2007 - 12:00AM
Military spouses target of scam
CHRISSY VICK
DAILY NEWS STAFF
One of the last phone calls a military spouse wants to receive is that their loved one has been injured.
To find out afterward that it was only a scam would complicate the accompanying emotions even more.
But according to the American Red Cross, a new scam targeting military families is doing just that.
The Red Cross issued a press release recently warning families that a scam artist claiming to be a Red Cross representative is calling military spouses and claiming that the spouse's husband was injured and medically evacuated to Germany.
The young caller says that they can't start the spouse's treatment until the paperwork is done and they need a Social Security number and date of birth to do so.
Joy Branham, executive director of the Onslow County chapter of the Red Cross, said the Red Cross would not do that.
"That is the responsibility of the military authorities," she said. "Our responsibility does not involve alerting families of casualties. We get the information at the same time the public does through the news media."
Red Cross representatives will only contact military families in response to an emergency message initiated by the family.
"Our responsibility is to service a communication link between families and sometimes the command in an emergency situation," Branham said. "The families would initiate with the Red Cross that they need to send a message requesting a service member's presence in an emergency situation."
Camp Lejeune officials are alerting military families to use caution when any caller requests sensitive information.
"The command is here to serve the families and we want to make sure they're protected," base spokesman 2nd Lt. Craig Thomas said. "We encourage families to be proactive as well."
Thomas urged families to contact their family readiness officer with any concerns or questions about their deployed loved ones or giving out sensitive information.
Marines and sailors are given a pre-deployment safety brief that includes filling out emergency contacts and other information, so personal information is not typically requested via phone.
When a Marine or sailor is injured, commands use family readiness officers to inform the family, Thomas said.
"I think military spouses should always be concerned about callers who request personal information," Branham said. "That's just a general safety issue, regardless of whether you're in the military or not. We would never have a need to call and get that information, because they're the ones that would be initiating that call to us."
For more information on the scam, visit the Red Cross Web site at www.redcross.org. For more information on protection from identity theft, visit the Better Business Bureau Online's Web site at www.bbbonline.org/idtheft.
Contact staff writer Chrissy Vick at cvick@freedomenc.com or by calling 353-1171, ext. 8466.
Military spouses target of scam
CHRISSY VICK
DAILY NEWS STAFF
One of the last phone calls a military spouse wants to receive is that their loved one has been injured.
To find out afterward that it was only a scam would complicate the accompanying emotions even more.
But according to the American Red Cross, a new scam targeting military families is doing just that.
The Red Cross issued a press release recently warning families that a scam artist claiming to be a Red Cross representative is calling military spouses and claiming that the spouse's husband was injured and medically evacuated to Germany.
The young caller says that they can't start the spouse's treatment until the paperwork is done and they need a Social Security number and date of birth to do so.
Joy Branham, executive director of the Onslow County chapter of the Red Cross, said the Red Cross would not do that.
"That is the responsibility of the military authorities," she said. "Our responsibility does not involve alerting families of casualties. We get the information at the same time the public does through the news media."
Red Cross representatives will only contact military families in response to an emergency message initiated by the family.
"Our responsibility is to service a communication link between families and sometimes the command in an emergency situation," Branham said. "The families would initiate with the Red Cross that they need to send a message requesting a service member's presence in an emergency situation."
Camp Lejeune officials are alerting military families to use caution when any caller requests sensitive information.
"The command is here to serve the families and we want to make sure they're protected," base spokesman 2nd Lt. Craig Thomas said. "We encourage families to be proactive as well."
Thomas urged families to contact their family readiness officer with any concerns or questions about their deployed loved ones or giving out sensitive information.
Marines and sailors are given a pre-deployment safety brief that includes filling out emergency contacts and other information, so personal information is not typically requested via phone.
When a Marine or sailor is injured, commands use family readiness officers to inform the family, Thomas said.
"I think military spouses should always be concerned about callers who request personal information," Branham said. "That's just a general safety issue, regardless of whether you're in the military or not. We would never have a need to call and get that information, because they're the ones that would be initiating that call to us."
For more information on the scam, visit the Red Cross Web site at www.redcross.org. For more information on protection from identity theft, visit the Better Business Bureau Online's Web site at www.bbbonline.org/idtheft.
Contact staff writer Chrissy Vick at cvick@freedomenc.com or by calling 353-1171, ext. 8466.