Learn How to Recognize and Avoid Scams Targeting Exchange Associates

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) showed in a March report that consumers reported $12.5 billion in losses to scams and fraud in 2024, a significant 25% increase from the prior year. Some of the most reported scams make Army & Air Force Exchange Service associates especially vulnerable.

The FTC also publishes military-specific fraud reports. Since 2020, active-duty service members, Veterans, retirees, Reservists and military family members have lost more than $780 million to scams including business and government imposters, online shopping scams along with prizes, sweepstakes and lottery fraud.

In addition, FTC data showed that the top text message scam in 2024 was fake package delivery, where scammers send fake alerts about a supposed issue with an incoming delivery. These scams aim to pressure individuals into providing personal or financial information or paying fees.

Scammers can spoof phone numbers, email addresses and websites to give the appearance of an official business. For example, scammers may pose as delivery carriers over the phone, calling Exchanges after hours claiming that a delivery was attempted or is scheduled soon and asking for extra money as a delivery fee. They may ask for a credit card number or demand cash be taken out and deposited into a Bitcoin ATM.

Other scams targeting associates have included gift card scams, where someone impersonates an Exchange manager or senior leader over the phone and asks for money to be placed on a physical gift card. The Exchange’s IT department has also been impersonated, asking for gift card numbers and PINs to investigate issues with the gift card system.

“With Exchange leadership information being publicly available, along with the ease of spoofing contact information to impersonate businesses or individuals, it is extremely important for associates to exercise caution,” said Tommie Caudle, the Exchange’s vice president of loss prevention. “By following simple steps and knowing how to spot suspicious interactions, associates can avoid falling prey to scams targeted at them in the workplace.”