THE SCAM You get a text that looks like it came from the Department of Veterans Affairs. It says there is a problem with your benefits and your payments could be delayed. To fix it, the message tells you to click a link and enter your personal information. The VA warned about exactly this kind of text on October 23: scammers send them to steal personal data, and in some cases to redirect a veteran's benefits straight into their own pockets.

THE RED FLAG The message showed up out of nowhere, and it pairs a threat with a shortcut: your money is at risk, but one click and a few typed details will fix it. That combination is the tell. A real benefits problem is not solved by tapping a link in a surprise text and handing over personal information.

THE RULE Do not click the link, and do not reply to the text. If you are worried about your benefits, go to the VA yourself — type VA.gov into your browser or call a VA number you already trust — and check there. A message that reaches out to you is never the place to enter personal details.

Read the full issue online: https://erawaeb.com/digest/daily/041-the-va-text-that-isn-t-from-the-va/ Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Information and Technology, October 2026