Scammers Targeting Veterans with Fake VA Appointments
A recent scam targeting Veterans has raised alarm among the Veteran community.
A Veteran reported receiving a letter that falsely claimed he had a scheduled VA appointment, along with a request for payment for the visit. Upon verification, the VA confirmed that the Veteran was not enrolled in VA health care, and no such appointment had been scheduled. It was determined that the letter and the payment request were fraudulent.
Important Reminders for Veterans:
No Upfront Fees: Veterans should never be asked to pay for any VA or Community Care appointment before or at the time of the appointment. The VA does not charge upfront fees for appointments.
No Electronic Payment Requests: The VA does not send payment requests by email, text message, or phone. Community Care appointments authorized by the VA are free to Veterans, except for standard VA co-pays when applicable.
Steps to Take if You Receive a Suspicious Letter, Call, or Message:
Do Not Send Money or Share Information: Do not send money or share personal or financial information in response to any suspicious request.
Verify with Your Local VA: Contact your local VA medical center directly to confirm the legitimacy of any appointment.
Report Suspicious Activity: Report any suspicious activity to the Integrity and Compliance Officer at your facility, the Integrity and Compliance Helpline at
Your VA team is dedicated to ensuring that you receive safe and legitimate care. Remember the mantra: See Something. Say Something.
Reporting Non-Compliance, Fraud, Waste, or Abuse:
Office of Integrity and Compliance Helpline: Report general instances of non-compliance, including potential fraud, waste, and abuse to VHAOICHelpline@va.gov or call
Suspected Fraud Reporting:
VSAFE Fraud Hotline: If you suspect you have experienced fraud, report it to the VSAFE Fraud Hotline at https://vsafe.gov/ or call 833-38V-SAFE.
Reports made to the VA Office of Integrity and Compliance (OIC) or VSAFE may be referred to the independent Office of Inspector General (OIG) for further investigation into fraud, wrongdoing, or oversight of VA programs and operations.