Expanded VA services and benefits for more than 1 million veterans and their survivors in recent years have meant billions in service-earned compensation … and more attention from “claims predators.”

These individuals or companies aggressively target veterans via mail, phone, and online platforms, according to a recent VA news item, using high-pressure tactics to convince beneficiaries to pay for claims services. They are unaccredited, and their assistance generally provides “little to no actual benefit,” according to the VA.

 Avoiding Predators

It is illegal for anyone to charge a fee to help prepare an initial VA claim, and only accredited attorneys and claims agents can charge a veteran to assist in specific parts of the claims process, such as filing supplemental claims or processing appeals.