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Post Commander Ernie Griffith read an action alert from the National VFW Headquarters to members who attended the post's monthly meeting on December 5. The alert read:
A Claim Shark is an individual or company that charges hefty fees to "assist” or "consult” veterans and survivors with filing their VA benefits claims. This practice is illegal! In fact, none of these private companies is better than the others. They are all operating illegally. Claims Sharks are not VA-accredited, meaning they are not required to adhere to professional and ethical standards, so their advice can be misleading or even fraudulent. Some of their predatory practices include guaranteeing an increased disability rating or percentage increase; advertising expedited VA claims decisions; requesting login credentials to access a veteran’s personal information through secure VA websites like eBenefits or VA.gov; imposing their predatory contracts; and telling veterans to forego VA medical examinations while offering consultations from their own network of doctors. The VFW opposes proposed legislation like the PLUS for Veterans Act or any legislation that would assign future benefits and legalize these practices to allow companies to charge up to $12,500 for claims assistance. No veteran should have to pay for earned benefits."
Griffith said that the Veterans Administration and the VFW are geared to help veterans to receive the benefits they are entitled to receive. |