“Last year, an Oxford study revealed that military veterans are ripe targets for exploitation by foreign powers seeking to undermine American democracy. The report concluded that veterans are more likely than the average person to be community leaders and that their political opinions have significant influence on those around them. Recognizing this, foreign powers have sought to infiltrate our community, impersonating individuals and organizations with tens of thousands of members in an effort to gain veterans’ trust. Studies have shown that older Americans are particularly at risk for being scammed, and the average American veteran is near retirement age. It’s time for VA to adopt ‘personal cyber hygiene’— steps that people can take to improve their cybersecurity—as an important part of veterans’ overall health. It’s wholly appropriate for Congress to empower the VA to start taking preventative measures to protect veterans from digital threats like manipulation and fraud.”
Source: Foreign Trolls Are Targeting Veterans on Facebook | WIRED