Consumer Advocate 

The Federal Trade Commission ranks identity theft as one of the top military consumer complaints in the nation, prompting Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine to push for harsher penalties for those who commit identity fraud and theft against active-duty service members and their spouses.

To commemorate today’s observance of Military Consumer Protection Day, celebrated this year on July 16, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office encourages active-duty service members to learn about the office’s Patriot Program.

Complaints filed with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office suggest that scammers continue to contact military families and other Ohioans with phony debt-collection ploys. Recently, people who have applied for or inquired into payday loans have been targeted.

Wherever they currently call home, military service members are sure to see advertisements and storefronts promoting payday advances and other types of short-term loans. Generally, payday loans are between $100 and $500. If service members are tight on cash, it may be tempting to get a short-term loan, but they should carefully consider the loan’s terms and conditions as well as other alternatives.