MADISON, Wis. – Military Consumer Protection Month begins on July 1, and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) is here to raise awareness of issues impacting military consumers and share resources to help them identify, avoid, or respond to scams and identity theft.

Military consumers include active duty servicemembers, veterans and retirees, National Guard and reserve personnel, and military spouses and dependents. According to data from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), military consumers nationwide filed 117,278 fraud reports in 2025 – that is over three times more than the total number of reports filed by Wisconsin consumers. The median financial fraud loss suffered by military consumers in 2025 was $650.

To prevent scams and identity theft, military consumers should:

  • Avoid opening links in unsolicited messages or clicking on targeted social media ads.
  • Withhold personally identifiable information if it is requested but not needed, especially over phone calls or in response to a text, email, or social media message.
  • Be suspicious of any messages claiming they must act immediately or face consequences. Scammers use urgency to convince consumers to act before they can think.
  • Never send money to a stranger or to what seems like a trusted organization through non-refundable methods like wire transfers, payment apps, or gift cards.

Largest Fraud Category: Imposter Scams

The largest fraud category reported to the FTC in 2025 by military consumers was imposter scams with 53,466 reports, resulting in over $249 million in total losses and a median loss of $1,100. Comparatively, the second-highest fraud category (online shopping and negative reviews) received a quarter of that complaint volume.

Imposter scammers can affect anyone, but some scammers specifically target military consumers by taking advantage of their unique circumstances and lifestyle. For example, a scammer could impersonate a commanding officer, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division, or the Defense Finance and Accounting Service. A romance imposter scammer might claim they need money for airfare to visit an active duty servicemember they are involved with. Or a veteran might receive a phone call or social media message about their benefits or medical costs.

Category with Highest Median Loss: Investment Fraud

The category with the greatest median financial loss was investment related fraud. Despite the FTC receiving only 4,674 reports in 2025, over $235 million was lost to this category – almost as much as military consumers lost to imposter scams. However, the median loss was much higher at $10,000.

Investment scams are typically used in combination with other scam methods. Before asking someone to invest, a scammer might pose as a romantic interest or friend and spend days or weeks building trust, while claiming they are in a location far from where the military consumer is stationed. Military consumers already interested in investing may find a fraudulent social media ad promoting an investment coach or trainer, or they could be approached by a so-called investment coach in an online group related to investing. The “coach” might try to gain trust by claiming to be a fellow servicemember or veteran. Investment scammers provide fake growth data to keep the servicemember paying as much as possible, for as long as possible, and ultimately steal all the money they “invest.”

Military Consumers and Identity Theft

In 2025, military consumers nationwide filed 42,134 identity theft reports with the FTC. Identity theft can occur when a fraudster obtains a servicemember’s name in combination with other personally identifiable information, like their date of birth, address, Social Security number, financial accounts numbers, or passwords. Because military personnel use some of these details (like Social Security numbers) more often than the average consumer, they are especially vulnerable to having their personal information exposed or stolen. This is not always easy to prevent, and when identity theft strikes, time is of the essence.

Due to travel, job responsibilities, deployments, and other circumstances that come with their position, it can be difficult for active duty servicemembers to regularly monitor their credit reports and financial accounts. These are measures that DATCP recommends so consumers can quickly spot the early warning signs of identity theft. This makes it even more important for military consumers to take preventative action that can protect their identity. They can place a security freeze on their credit report, which requires creditors to obtain the military consumer’s authorization before any new loans, credit cards, or other forms of credit can be extended in their name. Credit security freezes can be lifted or replaced as needed. Military consumers can also place a fraud alert on their credit report, which indicates their credit file may be a victim of fraud or identity theft and requires creditors to verify the consumer’s identity before they can extend credit.

Resources

To place a security freeze or fraud alert for free, contact the three major credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. To access free weekly credit reports online, visit AnnualCreditReport.com. For assistance with veteran benefits, contact a County or Tribal Veteran Service Officer. For state veteran benefit inquiries, call 1-800-WisVets, email WisVets@dva.wisconsin.gov or visit wisvets.com.

For more consumer protection resources or to file a complaint, visit DATCP’s Consumer Protection webpage at ConsumerProtection.wi.gov or contact the Consumer Protection Hotline at (800) 422-7128 or DATCPHotline@wisconsin.gov.