WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today Congressman Walter B. Jones (R-NC) joined the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in urging Eastern North Carolina veterans to be aware of a telephone scam targeting veterans and their credit card numbers. The callers are identifying themselves as workers for Patient Care Group and insisting that the VA has changed their prescription drug distribution policy. They are asking for veterans’ credit card numbers to update their prescription information list. The VA is warning that there has been no change in its procedures.

Dr. Gerald Cross, VA’s Under Secretary for Health, said, “America’s veterans have become targets in an inexcusable scam that dishonors their service and misrepresents the Department built for them. VA simply does not call veterans and ask them to disclose personal financial information over the phone. VA has not changed its processes for dispensing prescription medicines.”

There have been many schemes to target veterans in recent years. A 2003 report by the National Consumer Law Center discovered that veterans are often targeted for their scheduled pay days.

“Unfortunately, there are unethical people in this world that try to take advantage of our service men and women,” Congressman Jones said. “These actions are despicable and those perpetrating them should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”

Please click here for information from the VA’s website.