Veterans Day is a day to say thank you. For scammers, it is a day to go fishing. The Federal Trade Commission is warning that crooks are mining veterans’ social media profiles for military details and using them to make fake offers look real.
The alert, posted November 10, 2026, comes from the FTC’s consumer advice staff. It describes a few specific tricks, and each one is easy to avoid once you know it.
If you or someone you love has served, here is what to watch for and what to do.
The full alert is on the FTC Consumer Advice site.
Scammers Use Your Military History To Offer Fake Grants
The FTC says scammers pull details from social media profiles, such as your military history and the locations you have tagged. They then message veterans about fake veteran grant programs.
The details make the message feel personal. When a stranger knows your branch or where you were stationed, it is easy to believe they are from an official program.
That is the trick. The information was never secret. It was sitting on a public profile.
Fake VA Staff Send You To Realistic Websites To Steal Your Social Security Number
Another scheme has scammers posing as staff from the Department of Veterans Affairs. The FTC says they steer people to realistic fake websites designed to steal Social Security numbers or VA.gov logins.
Those sites can look nearly identical to the real thing, with logos, colors and official-sounding language. A convincing page is not proof of anything.
Once a scammer has your Social Security number or login, they can try to open accounts or get into your benefits.
The VA Will Never Message You On Social Media
This is the sentence to remember. The FTC says the VA will never message you on social media.
So if a “VA representative” shows up in your direct messages, you can be sure it is not the VA. You do not need to investigate further. You can block the account and report it.
That one rule cuts through a lot of confusion, because it works every single time.
Fake Ads Promise A “Guaranteed Way To Beat The Stock Market”
The FTC also points to fake-profile video ads that promise a “guaranteed way to beat the stock market.” These pitches target veterans too, often dressed up with a story that sounds trustworthy.
No investment is guaranteed to beat the market. Anyone who says otherwise is selling something, and in a scam the thing they sell is a way to take your money.
If an ad leans on a stranger’s personal story to build trust, that is a reason to be more careful, not less.
Six Steps To Protect Yourself And Your Family
The FTC’s advice is clear and doable. Here is how to put it to use today.
- Tighten your privacy settings. Limit who can see your service details, tagged locations and friends list.
- Verify any VA offer at VA.gov, typing the address yourself instead of clicking a link in a message.
- Use the VA Accreditation Search Tool before you hire anyone who offers help with benefits claims.
- Never share your Social Security number or VA.gov login with someone who contacts you first.
- Do not trust an ad because it features a friendly face or a moving story.
- Report scams at VSAFE.gov or by calling 833-38V-SAFE.
If You Already Shared Information, Act Fast
Mistakes happen to careful people. If you gave a Social Security number or a login to someone who contacted you, change your VA.gov password right away and watch your accounts closely.
Consider placing a free credit freeze with the three credit bureaus, which stops a thief from opening new credit in your name. You can also report identity theft to the FTC at IdentityTheft.gov.
Acting within hours, not weeks, gives you the best chance to limit the damage.
Why A Public Profile Can Work Against You
Most of us post because we are proud of something. A veteran might share a unit photo, a deployment memory or a tribute on Veterans Day, and that is a good thing to share.
The trick is deciding who gets to see it. A quick visit to your privacy settings lets friends and family see the post without giving strangers a script to use against you.
It also helps to think before you tag a location. Details that feel harmless can be pieced together by someone who is looking for a way in.
Help The Veterans In Your Life
If you have a parent, grandparent or friend who served, take ten minutes this week to go through these tips with them. Many older veterans did not grow up with social media and may not know how much their profile reveals.
Remind them that the VA will never message them on social media, and that real help can be checked at VA.gov. Offer to sit with them while they adjust their privacy settings.
A short conversation now can protect a lifetime of benefits. And if a scam does reach you or someone you know, report it. Every report helps the people working to stop these schemes.
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