""For years, we have warned that unaccredited representatives commonly known as claim sharks charge illegal fees, misrepresent their services, and exploit a loophole in federal law to escape accountability," the group wrote in a letter Wednesday to VA, the Federal Trade Commission and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. "These practices represent a deeply disturbing escalation in claim shark industry tactics.""
"Federal law states that anyone helping veterans prepare initial claims for disability benefits must be accredited by the VA and that the service must be free. Nonprofit veterans service organizations such as The American Legion and VFW have long helped vets with such claims. But in an effort to reduce barriers for vets, Congress removed criminal penalties from the law in 2006. Entrepreneurs leapt into that legal gray area, realizing they could help vets and make money."
Forty-three members of Congress urged enforcement against unaccredited companies that charge veterans to file VA disability claims. They warned that claim sharks charge illegal fees, misrepresent services, and exploit a federal loophole to avoid accountability. The letter, signed by 42 Democrats and one Republican, was sent to the VA, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Federal law requires accreditation and free assistance for initial disability claims, but removing criminal penalties in 2006 created a legal gray area that has allowed the number of claims consultants to surge. Some veterans paid for help that increased benefits while others felt exploited; lawmakers flagged companies using veterans' private information to access VA systems and employing aggressive tactics that may violate federal law.
Read at www.npr.org
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]