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3/18/2010
Police charge man with scam on soldierANCHORAGE, Alaska — A 45-year-old Anchorage man has been charged with scamming a Fort Richardson soldier just back from Afghanistan by renting out a home he did not own. Michael Eugene Galioto is charged with felony theft. Police say Galioto posted a house for rent on Craigslist and the soldier last month put down $1,800 in deposit and rent money
3/12/2010
New fed leave ruling benefits military familiesFederal employees can now use their Family and Medical Leave Act benefits — up to 12 weeks of leave each year — to help a family member who is in the military and deployed overseas, according to a March 5 memo issued by the Office of Personnel Management. Feds now can use their FMLA leave to arrange for childcare of a deployed relative’s son or daughter, attend official ceremonies related to the service member’s deployment, or make funeral arrangements if the service member is killed. Employees can use sick or annual leave under FMLA, but if they run out, must take unpaid leave.
3/11/2010
DOD Resumes Military Career Spouse ProgramThe Department of Defense announced today the resumption of the Military Spouse Career Advancement Account - MyCAA - program. Beginning March 13 at 12 p.m. EST, the 136,583 military spouses who are currently enrolled in the program will once again be able to receive tuition assistance.
3/4/2010
DoD to reduce use of Social Security numbersThe Defense Department is preparing to launch a military-wide effort to reduce the use of Social Security numbers to lower the chances of identity theft for military and civilian workers and contractors. But the announcement, included in the March 3 Federal Register, makes clear that stopping the use of Social Security numbers altogether is not feasible. The SSN is a prize to identity thieves, but it also has become ingrained in various military uses that can’t be fully eliminated, defense officials said.
3/3/2010
Enrollment surge forced tuition program to haltAn abrupt sixfold increase in the number of military spouses enrolling in the My Career Advancement Account program caused the sudden halt of the program Feb. 16, according to a defense official. About 95,000 spouses enrolled in the first six weeks of the year for a program that, until then, rarely received more than 10,000 applications a month.
2/18/2010
Spouse tuition aid shuts down without warning
Defense officials have abruptly shut down the My Career Advancement Accounts, a program that gives qualified military spouses up to $6,000 in tuition assistance to help them pursue portable careers. Officials said the MyCAA shutdown is temporary, but no date has been set for resuming operations... no specific details on the reason for the sudden halt.
2/18/2010
GI Bill hot line again open five days a week
The GI Bill telephone hot line is once again open five days a week, after improvements were made to reduce the number of calls that do not go through, Veterans Affairs Department officials have announced. The Education Call Center number is 1-888-GIBILL-1 (1-888-442-4551). Because of a high volume of calls, VA officials admitted 90 percent of calls never made it through, and that many callers who were put on hold hung up in frustration before talking with an education counselor. Effective Thursday, Feb. 18, the call center is now open Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central time, VA officials said.
2/12/2010
Lowe’s military discount now year-round
Most members of the military community no longer will have to wait for a special holiday discount to buy shovels, paint, and other home improvement needs. Home improvement retailer Lowe’s has expanded its 10 percent military discount to all day, everyday, for active-duty, National Guard and reserve, retiree and disabled service members, and their families, company officials announced Wednesday. Those who want to receive the discount must present a valid military ID card. All other military veterans will receive the 10 percent discount on the holiday weekends of Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Veterans Day.
2/5/2010
FTC Returns $1.6 Million to Consumers Scammed by Bogus Debt Collector - Checks Will Arrive This Month
The FTC will distribute $1.6 million to thousands of consumers who were scammed into paying money they did not owe by con artists who threatened, harassed and lied to them. ...The FTC recovered a total of $1.6 million for consumer redress. The funds will be distributed to 24,916 consumers who each lost $100 or more as the result of the defendants’ illegal actions. The consumers have been identified based on records obtained in the case. Consumers will begin to receive checks this month.
1/27/2010
First Lady Announces Family Program Budget Boost
President Barack Obama's fiscal 2011 budget request calls for a record $8.8 billion for military family support programs, First Lady Michelle Obama told military spouses today at Bolling Air Force Base here. The request represents a 3 percent increase over current funding, she told attendees at the Joint Armed Forces Officers’ Wives Club annual luncheon.
1/26/2010
DOT Cautions Consumers on Super Bowl Air Travel Ticket Scams
Air travelers going to Super Bowl XLIV this year should be aware that not all tour packages include a ticket to the Feb. 7 game in Miami. DOT’s rules state that if a tour was described as including a game ticket and you do not receive one, you are entitled to a full refund of the entire package price upon your return.
1/26/2010
Military families can use sitter site free
The Defense Department now is paying for an Internet service that helps military families find in-home child care, nannies, tutors, elder care providers, pet sitters and other services in their local communities. Active-duty Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps members and their families, as well as National Guard and reserve members and their families, can receive a free membership to the service, which costs an average of $120 a year. Retirees are not eligible.
1/19/2010
National Center for Disaster Fraud to Coordinate Haitian Fraud Complaints
The FBI and the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) have established a telephone hotline to report suspected Haitian earthquake relief fraud. The number is (866) 720-5721. The phone line is staffed by a live operator 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also e-mail information directly to disaster@leo.gov.
The FBI continues to remind the public to apply a critical eye and do their due diligence before giving contributions to anyone soliciting donations on behalf of Haitian victims.
1/13/2010
Scholarships Available for Spouses of Wounded or Fallen Service Members Applications accepted online through January 31
The National Military Family Association is now accepting applications for its Joanne Holbrook Patton Military Spouse Scholarship Program for spouses of wounded or fallen service members. Scholarships are awarded to military spouses to obtain professional certification or to attend post secondary or graduate school... Applications will only be accepted online at www.militaryfamily.org/scholarships and must be submitted by midnight January 31, 2010. Spouses of uniformed service members (active duty, National Guard and Reserve, retirees, and survivors) of any branch or rank are eligible to apply.
1/5/2010
RockYou Hit With Data Breach Class Action - Suit says hacking was result of company's negligence
RockYou, a developer of widgets and applications for Facebook and MySpace, was hit with a class action alleging that the company's poor security allowed a hacker to gain access to 32 million e-mail addresses and passwords. The suit alleges that “RockYou recklessly and knowingly failed to take even the most basic steps to protect its users' PII (personally identifiable information)...”
12/21/2009
DOD Releases 2010 Housing Rates
The Department of Defense today released the 2010 Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rates. Military members will receive an average housing allowance increase of 2.5 percent when the new rates take effect, Jan. 1, 2010.
12/10/2009
Google sues work-at-home scammers
Google filed a lawsuit against Pacific WebWorks and other unnamed defendants for allegedly using the company's name and colorful logo to promote fraudulent work-at-home money-making schemes."Thousands of people have been tricked into sending payment information and being charged hidden fees by questionable operations," Google said in a blog post on Tuesday.
12/09/2009
Tax statements coming next week on myPay
Annual tax statements soon will be distributed to service members, military retirees, annuitants and federal civilian employees who are paid by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service — but they will be available electronically up to two weeks earlier to DFAS customers with myPay accounts.The first W-2s, 1099Rs and 1099-INTs, along with retiree and annuitant annual account statements, will start becoming available on Dec. 16, DFAS says. The first wave of forms — Retiree Annual Statements and Retiree 1009R forms — will be mailed that day.
12/4/2009
Hackers Spread Virus Through Bogus Vaccine Website
Hackers are spreading a computer virus by sending out emails urging people to visit a fake website offering vaccines for the swine flu. Researchers from security firms Symantec Corp and AppRiver said, "The email purports to be from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, directing them to what looks like an official government website to fill out a vaccination form."
12/3/2009
DOD to miss deadline for removing Social Security numbers from IDs
The Defense Department will not meet its end-of-the-year deadline for removing Social Security numbers from military ID cards as they are issued or renewed, the Pentagon has confirmed. It is not clear how much progress, if any, has been made toward meeting that goal or any aspect of a sweeping identity theft protection plan the DOD established last year.
11/6/2009
Lowe’s, Home Depot offer vets discounts
Home improvement retailers Lowe’s and Home Depot are offering a 10 percent discount to active-duty, National Guard and reserve members, retirees, veterans and their immediate family members in honor of Veterans Day. The Home Depot is offering the discount Nov. 5-11. Lowe’s Companies will offer the discount from Nov. 8-15.
11/5/2009
National parks free for everyone Nov. 11
Anyone visiting national parks, refuges and other public recreation areas on Veterans Day, Wednesday, Nov. 11, will pay no entrance fees, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced today. Those areas include any public recreation lands managed by the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Reclamation.
11/2/2009
President Proclaims Military Family Month
WASHINGTON, Nov. 2, 2009 – President Barack Obama pledged his support of military members and their families and said Americans have a “solemn obligation” to preserve their well-being in his proclamation declaring November as Military Family Month.
10/29/2009
Consumer Alert
E-mail Claiming to Be From the FDIC – October 26, 2009
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has received numerous reports of a fraudulent e-mail that has the appearance of being sent from the FDIC. The subject line of the e-mail states: “check your Bank Deposit Insurance Coverage.”...This e-mail and associated Web site are fraudulent. Recipients should consider the intent of this e-mail as an attempt to collect personal or confidential information, some of which may be used to gain unauthorized access to on-line banking services or to conduct identity theft.
10/22/2009
No fees on new commissary gift certificates
Just in time for the holidays, commissary officials have launched a new gift certificate program that will be administered internally, eliminating the need to charge customers extra for the certificates. Officials had searched for an alternative after the previous gift certificate program abruptly ended when the company CertifiChecks Inc. went out of business Feb. 26, leaving customers holding worthless gift certificates.
10/2/2009
Tricare hospitalization fees go up Oct. 1
Fees for hospitalization under the military’s Tricare health plan are increasing on Thursday, the start of the new fiscal year, Tricare Management Activity officials announced Wednesday
10/2/2009
Homeowner assistance program now under way
A program to help military homeowners caught in the downturn of the housing market started processing applications Wednesday, sources said, with the publication of the implementing rules in the Federal Register.About 4,300 homeowners have applied for assistance under the expanded Homeowners Assistance Program, which was signed into law Feb. 17 with $555 million in funding. Eligible are people on permanent change-of-station orders, wounded warriors, surviving spouses and those affected by base realignment and closure actions.
10/2/2009
Emergency GI Bill payments: How to get yours
The Veterans Affairs Department has come up with a simplified system to provide emergency payments for students waiting for their Post-9/11 GI Bill claims to be processed. Beginning Friday, students who need the promised $3,000 payments right away can receive an on-the-spot check by visiting one of the VA’s 57 regional offices with a copy of their class schedule and photo identification in hand.
9/29/2009
Secretary Shinseki Orders Emergency Checks to Students Awaiting Education Benefits
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki announced the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has authorized checks for up to $3,000 to be given to students who have applied for educational benefits and who have not yet received their government payment. The checks will be distributed to eligible students at VA regional benefits offices across the country starting Oct. 2, 2009.
9/29/2009
Justice Department Announces Settlement of Its First Landlord-Tenant Case Under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act
The Justice Department today announced that it had reached a settlement with a Virginia landlord to resolve allegations that she violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). The lawsuit alleged that the landlord failed to return prepaid rent and security deposits to a tenant who had terminated her lease early in order to comply with military orders to relocate from to Georgia.
9/16/2009
VA officials warn of telephone scam
Officials at the Department of Veterans Affairs are warning people not to give credit card numbers over the phone to callers who claim to be updating VA prescription information.
9/8/2009
YOUNG ADULTS GET THE 411 OF PERSONAL FINANCE IN PBS’ YOUR LIFE, YOUR MONEY
Real-Life Money Management Special Hosted by Donald Faison [Scrubs, Clueless] and Featuring Hip Hop Entrepreneur Russell Simmons Premieres Wednesday, September 9 at 9 PM, ET/PT
The groundbreaking new program YOUR LIFE, YOUR MONEY empowers young adults to get their financial lives on track – even if they barely have finances at all... This engaging one-hour special provides vital, relatable information on everything from banking and credit, to investments, budgeting, insurance and self-employment.
9/8/2009
GI Bill housing checks flow, with some delays
Facing a rush of last-minute claims, the Department of Veterans Affairs has cut housing checks to tens of thousands of veterans returning to college under the newly expanded GI Bill but officials acknowledge several thousand may get their money later than expected.
9/7/2009
Your Commissary is Offering the World's Largest Case Lot Sale!
Commissary customers can save 30 percent or more on their purchases every day, but in September they can save even more by shopping at a worldwide case lot sale in their community.
8/28/2009
New Rule Prohibiting Unwanted "Robocalls" to Take Effect on September 1
Telemarketers Must Obtain Prior Written Approval from Consumers Who Want to Receive Such Calls
Beginning September 1, 2009, prerecorded commercial telemarketing calls to consumers – commonly known as robocalls – will be prohibited, unless the telemarketer has obtained permission in writing from consumers who want to receive such calls, the Federal Trade Commission announced today.
8/7/2009
Obama signs 'cash-for-clunkers' extension into law
It's official: Car shoppers are getting more time to trade in their clunkers for cash. President Barack Obama signed into law Friday morning an extension of the stimulus program that proved so popular it ran out of money.The Senate voted Thursday to triple the "cash-for-clunkers" fund to $3 billion and extend the program to Labor Day, assuming the new money lasts that long. The law gives owners $3,500 to $4,500 for trading in old cars that use a lot of gas for newer, more efficient vehicles.
8/3/2009
Be on the Alert for Bogus ‘Cash for Clunkers’ Offers
Scam artists are trying to profit from the federal government’s new program that helps consumers buy or lease a new, more fuel-efficient vehicle. According to a new consumer alert from the Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency, people should be on the lookout for so-called “cash for clunker” Web sites that ask for personal information – including name, address, and Social Security number – that they claim is necessary to “register” for the program. The scam artists behind these sites are phishing for personal information that can be used to commit identity theft and other frauds.
7/09/2009
Operation Homefront is proud to announce Operation Homefront’s Military Spouse Scholarship Program. Applications are due July 15th, 2009.
The scholarship award is offered to spouses of uniformed service members to attend a four-year college or university, graduate school, accredited trade school, certificate program, vocational school or community college. Learn more and view the application here
7/1/2009
MAID BRIGADE VETERANS FRANCHISE GIVEAWAY
At Maid Brigade we know that military veterans make excellent franchisees – in fact, over 10% of Maid Brigade owners are veterans... That’s why Maid Brigade wants to reward as many as 100 qualified veterans who have what it takes to own a business. The Gold Award is a Maid Brigade Select Market Franchise valued at $45,000... The contest starts on Independence Day and ends on Veterans Day, so enter now for your opportunity to own an award-winning Maid Brigade Franchise!
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Kiplinger-BBB Personal Finance Guide for Military Families- This guide contains practical, easy-to-understand information about being financially prepared for deployment, buying a home, minimizing taxes, holding down insurance costs and avoiding financial schemes that too often target military families.
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The Air Force is committed to ensuring Airmen and their families have access to helpful information and community-related services. This Web site provides a 24/7 resource for Airmen and their families with helpful military-related support information that affects daily life.
Air Force Personnel Center This site offers a wealth of information including Airman and Family Readiness Flight (A&FRF) programs and services, benefits and pay, and many helpful links.
Air Force Retiree ServicesThe Air Force Retiree Services Section, AFPC/DPSIAR, manages the Air Force Retiree Activities Program and the Survivor Benefit Plan; supports the Air Force Retiree Council; and advises the Air Force retirement community via various means of communication including the Afterburner, News for USAF Retired Personnel, and postings on the Internet.
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