Pentagon: Officials Warn of VA Telephone Fraud

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2009 -- Officials at the Department of Veterans Affairs are warning people not to give credit card numbers over the phone to callers claiming to be updating VA prescription information.

Kevin Secor, a Veterans Service Organizations liaison with the office of the secretary of Veterans Affairs, sent an e-mail recently that outlined the scam.

"I have received many reports that veterans are being contacted by 'Patient Care Group' representing that they are helping administer VA prescriptions and stating that the pharmacy billing procedures have changed and they are therefore requesting veteran credit card numbers for prescription payments in advance of filling their prescriptions," Mr. Secor wrote. "This is false. VA does not call veterans asking to disclose personal financial information over the phone. VA has not changed its processes for dispensing prescription medicines."

Anyone who receives a call from someone claiming to work for the Patient Care Group who is seeking a credit card number should simply hang up.

(Report from a U.S. Defense Department news release.)