BEDFORD — Lawrence County Veterans Service Officer Brad Bough is issuing an urgent alert to local veterans regarding a fraudulent text messaging scheme designed to compromise personal information.
The warning comes after information was forwarded to the Lawrence County office by the Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs, detailing a “smishing” scam where veterans receive texts appearing to be from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
The deceptive messages typically ask the recipient to “update their information” and provide a link. This link redirects veterans to a “very legitimate-looking” website where they are prompted to enter sensitive data.
While the VA does use text messaging to offer updates on benefits, resources, and appointment reminders, the agency emphasizes that they will never send a text demanding immediate payment or asking for sensitive personal information to be updated via an unsolicited link.
“I want to alert my fellow Lawrence County Veterans to a scam involving text messages which may appear to be from the VA, but in reality are not,” stated Brad Bough, Lawrence County Veterans Service Officer. “If you receive a suspicious text, the best course of action is to block, delete, and report—and most importantly, do not click that link.”
How to Report and Get Help
If a veteran believes they have fallen victim to this scam or has received a suspicious message, they are encouraged to call the following 24/7 resources:
- VHA-related scams: (866) 842-4357
- Benefits-related (VBA) scams: (833) 388-7233
- Non-VA scams: Contact the Federal Trade Commission at (877) 382-4357 or visit reportfraud.ftc.gov.
Additionally, local veterans do not have to navigate these issues alone.
“If a Veteran needs assistance with any VA related problem, do not hesitate to contact our office,” Bough added.
For local assistance, veterans can contact the Lawrence County Veterans Service Office at 812-275-6411.
