May 2014 l Volume IV l Issue 5

IN THIS MONTH'S EDITION

Sallie Mae Ordered to Pay $96.6M for Violating Troops' Rights

Facebook Shutdown Scam is Back to Fool Again

Congrats You're Hired! (Too Bad it's a Scam)

PICTURE OF THE MONTH

Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Bryan B. Battaglia, fifth from left, senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, receives assistance from a soldier assigned to the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as "The Old Guard," during a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to mark Armed Forces Day at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., May 17, 2014.

DOD photo by Anthony Steele

BBB Military Line is especially grateful to our

*Sustaining Partners*

whose support allows us to provide Consumer Education and Advocacy for members of the Military Community.

Please visit our Sponsors Page for more information.

BBBs in ACTION!

Cathy Williamson of Better Business Bureau Serving Lincoln Trail Area and Fort Knox, KY receives a Certificate of Appreciation from COL William B Ostlund. The certificate reads:

3^RD BRIGADE, 1^ST INFANTRY DIVISION

*CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION*

CATHY WILLIAMSON

BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT TO

OUR 3^RD BRIGADE

SOLDIERS AND FAMILIES

YOUR PARTNERSHIP IS TRULY APPRECIATED

ON THIS THE 30^TH DAY OF APRIL 2014

DUTY FIRST!

Signed by WILLIAM B. OSTLUND, COL, IN, COMMANDING

COL Ostlund personally thanked Ms. Williamson for convincing his wife that scammers are out there trying to take advantage of our military. He said, she now knows the BBB is doing all they can to make sure that doesn't happen. He laughed as he told the group that his wife had their personal computer in the shop making sure all the virus detection software was up to date.

Sincere congratulations to Cathy Williamson and BBB Serving Louisville, KY for a job well done and for working so hard on behalf of members of the military community living within your area.

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WHO WE SERVE

Army Sgt. Andrew Sireno provides security during the offensive maneuver event during Sapper Stakes on Fort McCoy, Wis., May 5, 2014. Sireno is a combat engineer assigned to the 469th Engineer Company. The annual competition test the operations skills of combat engineers through evaluated field exercises.

U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Michel Sauret

MILITARY CONSUMER

ISSUES & INITIATIVES

Sallie Mae Ordered to Pay $96.6M for Violating Troops' Rights

Justice Department officials announced an enforcement action yesterday against the nation's largest servicer of federal and private student loans, which was found to be systematically violating the legal rights of U.S. service members.

Tackling Student Loan Debt

Information specifically for Service members from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau devoted to reducing student loan debt. Here's how-

1. Lower the interest rate for all your loans.

2. Manage your federal student loans.

3. Manage your private student loans.

7 Tips to Avoid "Unemployment Fatigue"

Separating from the military without having a job lined up is nerve-wracking enough. Being in the same position months later can be a lot worse.

Unfortunately, it's quite possible for veterans to be faced with this kind of situation in today's still-sluggish economy. It can easily lead to "unemployment fatigue," which not only can affect your confidence, self-esteem and general well-being but can also harm your relationships with friends and family.

Take the Financial Literacy Quiz

Take FINRA's financial literacy quiz and see how your financial knowledge compares with NFCS survey results from individual states and the nation.

The Navy Wives Clubs of America, Inc. Scholarships

Scholarship Foundation of the Navy Wives Clubs of America, Inc. - up to 30 scholarships granted annually. The grants are presented with the knowledge that no repayment is expected from the recipient. Those eligible for the grants are the natural born, legally adopted or stepson or daughter of an Enlisted member of the Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard on active duty, or retired with pay or the son or daughter of a deceased member of these categories. The deadline for scholarship applications is May 30th.

Take the Pledge!

SCAM ALERTS

(AND OTHER SUBSTANDARD BUSINESS PRACTICES)

Facebook Shutdown Scam is Back to Fool Again

Some scams just won't die. The Facebook shutdown scam is the perfect example.As long as people keep falling for it, it will keep coming back. Don't let the scam fool you this time... or in a few months when it pops up again.

Flipping Workshops: Are they Worth it?

Want to be a flipper? You're not alone. House flipping, or buying a house at a lower cost and selling it at a higher price, is back with the housing recovery and many are attending "flipping workshops" to find out what all the hype is about.

BBB Warns Consumers about Pervasive Income Tax Fraud

Despite the passing of the 2013 income tax return filing deadline, Better Business Bureau is warning consumers to keep their guard up. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued a strong warning on its website about a nationwide increase in the prevalence of "sophisticated and aggressive" telephone scams.

Congrats You're Hired! (Too Bad it's a Scam)

We all know it is difficult to find a good job, especially in the current state of the economy. Unfortunately, scammers are aware of this reality as well and have found ways to take full advantage of those desperately seeking employment.

School is Cool But Only When It's Legit

BBB warns to carefully check out online schools claiming they can teach you medical billing and coding. A Monroe woman says she'd like to find a legitimate school to do this but says the more she looks on the internet the more confused she gets.

As a partner in the Joining Forces Initiative and DOD Financial Readiness Campaign, BBB Military Line^� brings BBB consumer education and services to military personnel (including Reservists and National Guard), retirees, veterans, DoD civilians, and their families.