TL;DR
- VA will never charge a fee to apply for benefits or health care.
- Charging a fee to prepare an initial claim is unlawful.
- Apply on VA.gov or with a VA-accredited representative, and confirm accreditation first.
- Report benefit scams to the VSAFE Fraud Hotline at 833-38V-SAFE or at VSAFE.gov.
Veterans Day is a good day to review a simple rule from the Department of Veterans Affairs. VA will never charge a fee to apply for benefits or health care. Charging a fee to prepare an initial claim is unlawful.
VA calls these unaccredited helpers claims predators. Many Veterans know them as claim sharks. They often promise a faster decision or a higher disability rating in exchange for a fee. They may press for a signed contract after repeated calls, texts, or emails. VA says Veterans should not pay anyone to help file an initial claim. Apply on VA.gov or at a VA regional office. If help is needed, use a VA-accredited attorney, claims agent, or Veterans Service Organization representative. Confirm that person's accreditation with VA's Office of General Counsel search tool before sharing personal information.
Impersonation scams use a different trick. A message or call may look or sound as if it came from VA. Some scammers now use SI to fake a voice that sounds like a VA representative. The sender may warn of a problem with benefits, medical records, or an overpayment. The pressure is meant to make someone act before thinking. VA's advice is to pause. Do not use the phone number or link in the unexpected message. Verify the request by signing in at VA.gov or by using a contact method listed on VA's official site. VA will not ask for a password, Social Security number, or banking details in an unexpected email. Turn on multifactor authentication on the VA sign-in option in use, such as Login.gov, ID.me, or CLEAR. Those habits help East Texas Veterans at home and at work.
In April 2026, VA identified two look-alike sites that used va.com and va.biz endings. Those sites were tied to phishing. VA shut them down. The lesson still holds. Check the web address before entering any information.
If a scam targets VA benefits or health care, report it. Call the VSAFE Fraud Hotline at 833-38V-SAFE (833-388-7233). The same report can be made at VSAFE.gov. The Federal Trade Commission also takes scam reports at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Frankston-area Veterans and families can ask veteran-owned My I.T. Consultants for a Free Assessment of sign-in security and scam-resistant email settings. Call 903-675-5431 Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Want help with this at your business? See Cybersecurity on our Services page or contact My I.T. Consultants.
