COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa — Officials with the Veteran Affairs Department are warning veterans and their spouses about scams targeting their benefits, especially with regard to insurance. The VA spoke with KETV in Omaha after a Council Bluffs woman, who is the widow of a Vietnam War veteran, said she received scam calls falsely claiming to be from Veterans Affairs.
Joy Moffatt’s husband Jerry Wayne Moffatt died of cancer nearly 30 years ago after serving in Vietnam. Moffatt told KETV she is used to receiving scam calls, but this past week, one call left her particularly upset. She said a man on the phone claimed to be from Veterans Affairs and was selling life insurance. Even though she told the caller she was not interested, multiple times, he persisted.
The Department of Veterans Affairs says its insurance employees will never try to sell insurance policies. It says that insurance calls will only come from two numbers: 1-800-669-8477 or 215-842-2000. Moffatt said the call she received did not come from either of those numbers. The VA also says that its employees will never get angry or upset during calls.
Moffatt said also she received a text message on Friday, claiming to be from the court, alleging she had speeding tickets and a warrant out for her arrest. Once again, she said she recognized the message as a scam.
