Protecting Veterans from “Claim Sharks”

For years, NACVSO and our partner Veterans Service Organizations have been sounding the alarm about unaccredited companies preying on Veterans for profit, often charging thousands of dollars for help that accredited County, Tribal, and State Veterans Service Officers provide for free. New national investigations now confirm what service officers across the country have witnessed firsthand for a while now.

Recent reporting by The War Horse, Military.com, and NPR reveals that the Department of Veterans Affairs has sent more than 40 warning cease and desist letters to companies accused of illegal claims practices. These companies, which are often called “claim sharks,” are charging unlawful fees and misleading Veterans seeking disability compensation with false promises of faster processing times at VA and better outcomes (all categorically false).

Federal law is clear (38 U.S. Code § 5904)unaccredited individuals and companies are prohibited from charging veterans to file or prepare initial VA disability claims. 

The investigations detail how these companies continue to exploit gaps in oversight, lack of criminal or financial penalties while leaning on aggressive marketing and false promises to disabled Veterans and charging them upward of 5 months of their future benefits. Services that accredited service officers and nonprofit partners already provide at no cost benefit since the end of WWI.

NACVSO has long worked alongside our State, County, Tribal, and nonprofit partners to combat these predatory practices. We continue urging Congress and VA leadership to strengthen enforcement, close loopholes, and ensure that Veterans are protected from financial exploitation.

As recently highlighted in national media coverage, including follow-up commentary in The Washington Post, leadership across the Veterans’ advocacy community agrees: no Veteran should ever be forced to pay for initial representation to access the benefits they earned through service.

These reports underscore the urgent need for:

• Stronger federal enforcement and oversight of claims consultants
  
  

• Increased investment in accredited State and County service offices
  
  

• Clear public education so Veterans know where to get trusted, free help
  
  

County, State, and Tribal Veterans Service Officers remain the first line of defense for Veterans navigating the VA claims system. With proper resources, training, and support, they ensure Veterans receive accurate guidance, ethical representation, and timely access to care and compensation.

NACVSO will continue to advocate—at every level of government—to protect Veterans from exploitation and to ensure that free, accredited assistance remains accessible in every community.

If you or a Veteran you know needs help with a benefits claim, always start with an accredited Veterans Service Officer. Your service earned these benefits—you should never have to pay to access them.