CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. wants you to be cautious of people looking to cash-in on veteran benefits following the recent passage of the PACT Act.
The new law expands VA health care and benefits for Vietnam, Gulf War and post 911 veterans with toxic exposures.
That means some of our most vulnerable veterans are being targeted.
Commander Lazaro Camarillo is a veteran of the Vietnam War. He said he can't stand the thought of someone attempting to steal from those who served and sacrificed so much for their country.
"It's very sad, they are taking advantage of veterans who really need the benefits," he said.
Camarillo is with the local VFW Post 2397 located on Ayers Street and has heard about the latest scams targeting those who qualify for expanded benefits though the PACT Act.
The warning came from Director of VFW Nation Veterans Service Ryan Gallucci.
"Veterans listen up, do not pay a third party agency for access to your earned benefits and compensation," he said.
Veterans should be cautious when getting a call or email from someone pretending to be a VA employee, or even a law firm proposing they can help them submit a claim on their behalf with faster results -- for a fee that can run as high as 40 percent of the veteran’s retroactive payments and 40 percent of their first year of entitlement payments.
However, that type of assistance is free.
“Firms that charge fees for providing a service or consultation and promise faster, more accurate results are generally misleading the veteran,” Gallucci emphasized. “There is no magic bullet or way to make the process go any faster or influence the outcome,” Gallucci said.
"Before you sign that piece of paper, before you sign that contract, think, there's help out there, go to the VA, ask," Camarillo said.
The VFW wants veterans to know there is no need to pay for consultation of any kind to apply for the Pact Act benefits.
The VFW National Veterans Service trains and oversees a global network of more than 2,000 veterans service officers who are accredited by VA to file benefit claims on behalf of any veteran, regardless of VFW membership.
Camarillo said it's important to work with an accredited service provider.
"Whatever you did, you served your country you earned it. Bottom line," he said.
For more information about the Pact Act, click here.