American Legion Trying to Scam Vets?
Postal inspectors investigate if the legion's letter was a mistake or a scam.
Feb. 8, 2008— -- U.S. postal inspectors have been asked to investigate whether the American Legion tried to trick veterans into signing up for membership in the Legion.
In a mailing last year to 800,000 former members, the American Legion said their "benefits as a veteran of the United States Armed Forces have lapsed" and that the only way to "reinstate these important benefits" was to pay $20 to reinstate their American Legion membership.
Under U.S. law, veterans benefits do not lapse over time, and the American Legion now acknowledges the letter, signed by Legion National Adjutant Robert Spanogle, was "a serious mistake."
A retired Air Force major, Robert Hanafin, has filed a complaint of mail fraud with postal inspectors after becoming outraged by what he viewed as a deceptive letter designed to scare people into rejoining the American Legion. According to Hanafin, "Any veterans organization that uses any such low-down scams to increase membership deserves to stay in the 19th century."
With more than three million members, the American Legion is the largest veterans organization in the country. American Legion spokesperson Joe March told the Blotter on ABCNews.com that the language was the fault of an outside contractor who neglected to make clear that the lapsed benefits in question were actually American Legion membership benefits. March said an "electronic editing mistake" by the contractor omitted the "American Legion" reference. March said the Legion apologized for the error and that "we acted promptly and immediately sent out a correction letter."
Maj. Hanafin, however, said he doesn't buy the American Legion's explanation that the first letter was a mistake. He points to specific language in the letter that states the benefits were given "in accordance with a special act of Congress." According to Hanafin, "The disservice they are doing to America's veterans...goes far beyond shameful."
Click Here for "The New York Times" editorial: 'An Intolerable Fraud.'