More and more each year, scammers are using sophisticated techniques, such as phishing, to appear as legitimate organizations that fool unsuspecting individuals, including many in the military community. To help protect consumers from scams and other dangerous online activity, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) has developed tools that allow you to detect and report scams.

Sarah Bumgardner, AAFMAA Director of Partnerships and Member Engagement, spoke with Melissa Lanning, Executive Director of the BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust, the 501(c)(3) educational foundation of the Better Business Bureau about how the BBB Scam Tracker is helping servicemembers and their families to avoid being scammed.

Lanning is the primary spokesperson for the organization, participating in conferences and media events regarding BBB Institute’s initiatives and research. A fraud prevention advocate, she has co-authored several research reports, including the BBB Scam Tracker Risk Report (2017-2021) and the new Online Scams Report (2023). Under her leadership, BBB Institute launched the new-and-improved BBB Scam Tracker platform that enables consumers to report scams and search for documents scams in their communities. Watch their discussion below to learn more about how scams affect the military community and how to protect yourself.