A postcard scam targeting veterans and their spouses in North Carolina mirrors similar fraud attempts reported last year in other states, with con artists offering up to $185 a month and free dental coverage to those who call a toll-free number within five days.

“No such program exists,” said a March 27 press release from the North Carolina Department of Justice, which included a photo of the postcard touting a “Veteran Savings Program.”

The release also offers simple advice for recipients: “Throw the card away.”

Warnings from Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Iowa in late 2025 highlighted similar scams. The postcards mention legitimate programs like CHAMPVA and TRICARE For Life, but they are not connected to an official federal agency. Those who call the number on the cards may be asked to provide personal or financial information, which could be used to access bank accounts or credit cards, or to commit other types of identity theft.

[NEW MOAA BENEFIT: Better Business Bureau Institute for Marketplace Trust]

Some warning signals from the postcard may be useful in detecting similar fraud attempts:

• The message encourages beneficiaries to call within five days, a common tactic of fraudsters designed to pressure recipients into a rushed decision to respond.
  
  
• The postcard includes no return address and offers no way for beneficiaries to research the program beyond calling the toll-free number.
  
  
• Legitimate changes to service-connected benefits will be communicated through established channels and posted on government-run websites like VA.gov or TRICARE.mil. Beneficiaries will not receive word of such changes via postcard.

“If it sounds like someone is offering you free money – it’s probably a scam,” North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson said in the March release.

Recipients can report fraud through multiple channels, including the Federal Trade Commission,  the VA, TRICARE, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Older scam targets can call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at (833) 372-8311 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Eastern, Monday through Friday.

For more information on fighting other types of scams, visit MOAA’s Scam Prevention Resources.