Scam alert: Blue Star Families warns military families after shutdown

With another possible government shutdown looming in January, one of the largest nonprofits supporting military families is warning about scams targeting service members and their families. Blue Star Families’ Jenny Akin says military families are especially vulnerable because some move every two to three years, changing addresses often, and are already under financial strain from the long shutdown and the costly holiday season. She highlights three common schemes: scammers posing as federal agencies, scammers pretending to be friends or family, and fake shutdown relief programs that promise stimulus or government relief funds while demanding personal information. Akin urges families not to share bank or personal details with anyone who calls or texts about benefits. Instead, she says, han