The Justice Department and the Navy are warning those filing claims under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act to be aware of scammers seeking to obtain personal information or money from them.
In a fraud alert issued Monday, federal officials said claimants and attorneys who represent those affected by the decades-long contamination of drinking water at the North Carolina Marine Corps base should be cautious of phone calls or emails requesting personal information or money.
According to the alert, reports have been on the rise of “unscrupulous people and companies … seeking … to obtain personal information from Camp Lejeune Justice Act claimants or otherwise defraud them.”
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“Claimants who receive calls or emails from individuals attempting to collect money or personal information in connection with their CLJA claim should contact their attorneys to report this activity,” the warning added.
Individuals not represented by an attorney should report any activity to the Navy’s Camp Lejeune Claims Unit at CLClaims@us.navy.mil, according to the announcement.
More than 1 million troops or their family members were exposed to water contamination at the installation from the early 1950s through the late 1980s.
The pollution, which stemmed from numerous sources, included chemicals such as tetrachloroethylene, solvents, benzene and vinyl chloride that have been linked to cancers,…
