Everyone is a target. If you recall form the book, web addresses ending in .gov are government agencies. I received an email from (name) “Veterans Benefits Administration” but the address ended in .com. That is a privately registered address (see book).

This is like the phishing (see book) emails you receive “from” big name banks who issue credit cards, whether or not you have a card with them. Same as receiving notice you won the “Spanish Lottery”, even though you did not buy a ticket.

Use common sense. Read with a skeptical eye. If it makes little to no sense, it’s likely to be a fake. In this instance, the email claims the VA administration will process claims faster. This is another clue it is phony. While VA Medical is trying to help us, the VA Administration has no interest in processing claims faster. This is evident in their new motto “Deny until they give up or die”.

Again, as I mentioned in the book, say it out loud and see if it sounds legit. “I won a zillion dollars in the Spanish Lottery, even though I did not buy a ticket.” Sounds phony. “The VA is interested in speeding up my claim they’ve had over a decade”. Equally ridiculous.

This is a simple sniff test to help ferret out phonies. Delete and DO NOT reply. Never reply to scam emails (see book for reason).