Identity-theft scammers have set their sights on new, highly vulnerable targets: the spouses of deployed soldiers. The scam itself shows how low criminals are willing to go:

The scam involves a person with an American accent calling a military spouse, identifying herself as a representative of the Red Cross, and telling the spouse that her husband was hurt in Iraq and was medically evacuated to Germany. The caller then says that doctors can’t start treatment until paperwork is completed, and that to start the paperwork they need the spouse to verify her husband’s social security number and date of birth.

American Red Cross officials point out that they typically do not contact military spouses directly unless asked to do so by a family member. The Red Cross ordinarily communicates with families through a soldier’s commander or first sergeant. Communications concerning soldier injuries are handled by the Department of Defense, not the Red Cross.

Technorati Tags: military, military spouse, scam, Red Cross, identity theft

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