King Cosponsors Bill to Protect Veterans From Scams, Exploitation

WASHINGTON, D.C. -U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), a senior member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee (SVAC), is cosponsoring legislation to crack down on fraudulent activity that attempts to exploit veterans' hard-earned benefits. The Stopping Abuse, Fraud, and Exploitation by Governing Unaccredited Representatives Defrauding (SAFEGUARD) Veterans Act would clarify that only accredited individuals can assist veterans with Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefit claims, reinstating criminal penalties for unaccredited agents who charge veterans extortionate fees for assistance with VA disability claims-a service provided for free by VA and accredited nonprofits. While federal law prohibits this activity, predatory actors have used loopholes to avoid prosecution, and federal agencies are limited in their ability to enforce the law without criminal penalties.

"Veterans earned their benefits through service and sacrifice, and no one should be allowed to profit by scamming them out of what they've earned," said Senator King. "These so-called 'claims sharks' prey on veterans at some of the most vulnerable moments in their lives. Our SAFEGUARD Veterans Act would close loopholes, strengthen enforcement, and better protect veterans so they can access the benefits they deserve without being exploited by bad actors."

More specifically, the SAFEGUARD Veterans Act would:

• Reestablish criminal penalties for unaccredited claims representatives scamming veterans;
• Prohibit VA accreditation of any person found guilty of unauthorized solicitation, charging, or receiving compensation for assisting with VA benefit claims;
• Close loopholes exploited by unaccredited actors to skirt federal prohibitions on unaccredited agents assisting veterans with VA benefit claims;
• Prohibit the use of robocall technology to obtain VA claims information-targeting claim sharks who spam VA call centers to gain unauthorized access to veterans' claims information;
• Require VA to establish a system to track accredited agents and where veterans can report scammers; and
• Increase warnings to veterans about claim sharks and other predatory practices of unaccredited agents.

Joining King on the legislation are U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Peter Welch (D-VT).

Representing one of the states with the highest rates of military families and veterans per capita, Senator King is a staunch advocate for America's servicemembers and veterans. In March, Senator King was honored by The American Legion with its 2026 Distinguished Public Service Award. Last year, Senator King was honored by the Disabled American Veterans as its 2025 Legislator of the Year. He was also recognized by the Wounded Warrior Project as the 2024 Legislator of the Year for his "outstanding legislative effort and achievement to improve the lives of the wounded, ill, and injured veterans."

On the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee (SVAC), he works to ensure American veterans receive their earned benefits and that the VA is properly implementing various programs. Last year, he introduced the VA Claim Sharks Effective Warnings Act that wouldprotect veterans from unaccredited claims representatives seeking to defraud them of their benefits. Earlier this year, he introduced the TAP Promotion Act which would allow accredited representatives from Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs), or other organizations, to participate in Transition Assistance Program (TAP) classes to help transitioning servicemembers file Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) claims. Additionally, he introduced the Ensuring Benefits for Disabled Veterans Act, which would address an unfair rule in federal law that creates unnecessary delays when veterans with service-connected disabilities attempt to access earned education and employment benefits.

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