Cortez Masto, Scott Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Veterans from Benefits Fraud

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) introduced bipartisan legislation to protect veterans from benefits fraud. The Preventing Crimes Against Veterans Act creates a new criminal offense for fraudulent schemes targeting veterans' benefits and imposes a fine or imprisonment of up to five years for these fraudsters.

"Veterans rely on the benefits they've earned for health care, housing, education, and other essential services," said Senator Cortez Masto. "But securing those benefits can be burdensome and confusing, opening the door for bad actors to prey upon veterans navigating the system. Nevada's veterans deserve stronger protections against fraudsters, and that's exactly what my bill does."

"Those who try to scam America's veterans out of their hard-earned benefits are the lowest of the low, but the grifters are getting more sophisticated every single day. That's why I'm proud to help lead this bipartisan bill, which would make it a crime to target and defraud Veterans, protecting their access to housing, health care, and other supporting services. Florida is home to over a million veterans. As a Navy veteran myself, it's an honor to fight for them," said Senator Scott.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, 152,385 veterans and military retirees were defrauded in 2023, resulting in a total loss of $350 million. Fraudsters take advantage of veterans navigating the benefits process by posing as benefits facilitators and charging exorbitant fees. While it is already illegal for anyone who is not an accredited agent or licensed attorney to charge a fee for helping a veteran obtain their benefits, there is no penalty for doing so. This bill would ensure fraudsters targeting veterans are held criminally accountable.

Senator Cortez Masto is a consistent champion for Nevada's service members and veterans, and this is the second bill she has introduced this year to protect veterans from fraud. She also recently introduced sweeping legislation to improve health care for veterans. Cortez Masto helped pass the National Defense Authorization Act, which included a 3.8 percent pay raise for veterans. She has supported veterans exposed to toxins while serving at the Nevada Test and Training Range. Cortez Masto successfully pushed the Biden administration to approve a new veterans cemetery in Elko, Nevada, and has been pushing the VA for transparency in the timeline of its construction. She has fought back against the Navy Federal Credit Union for overcharging service members.

###