Better Business Bureau warns of scams targeting veterans

CHICAGO (CBS) - Veterans Day is coming up Monday, so the Better Business Bureau is warning veterans about scams targeting them.

The BBB says this year, the Department of Veterans Affairs is pointing out fraud tied to gaming activities.

Scammers often get financial information and personal details, or lure in veterans with videos that claim they can win lots of money.

Other scams impacting veterans include one where they get a call in which they are told they qualify for money from "secret" government programs—but they have to pay a fee or provide personal information to find out more. In another, scammers are told they can get a higher disability or pension payment for cash up front.

Con artists also try to charge veterans for access to their military records or government forms—which veterans can get for free at their local VA office. Con artists pretending to be soon-to-be-deployed service members offer special deals to veterans on cars, electronics, or other products—asking the victims to wire them money through MoneyGram or Western Union for the purpose. The products never come.

Scammers also sometimes impersonate military-affiliated charities.