Veterans in Morgan County, Ala., are facing an alarming increase in fraud attempts, according to Chief Deputy Alan Host, a 20‑year veteran of the county sheriff’s office. Host said the number of scams has risen steadily over the past three to four years, and fraudsters are becoming more inventive.
Local impact
While Morgan County has not seen a large volume of veteran‑specific scams, the total financial loss from fraudulent schemes in the area reached roughly $1 million last year. Host explained that many of the calls originate from out‑of‑state or overseas sources, often using prepaid phones that are difficult to trace.
“Typically, the callers are not from around here,” Host said. “They’re from another country or across the state or prepaid phones that can’t be traced, or if they can be traced, then they’re traced back to nobody.”
Common tactics
The BBB Scam Tracker identifies the most frequent scams as investment or cryptocurrency schemes, fraudulent online purchases, and bogus employment offers. Scammers promise quick, easy jobs but require personal information up front, then disappear with the victim’s data.
Host advises anyone receiving a call that asks for money, cryptocurrency payments, or personal identification numbers to hang up immediately and report the incident to local law‑enforcement.
National picture
Nationwide, experts report that veterans were defrauded out of $684 million in 2025, up from $583 million in 2024. The upward trend underscores the need for heightened vigilance among those who have served our country.
Veterans and their families are urged to stay informed about common fraud tactics, verify the legitimacy of any offers, and contact authorities if they suspect a scam.
Original reporting: WAFF 48 Huntsville (news) — read the source article.
