How to Report the Theft of a Veteran's Pension Check
Veterans who receive disability benefits often rely on these payments to cover daily living expenses. If they do not receive these benefits because of theft, they may have no income at all. The Department of Veterans Affairs has moved toward direct deposit, but some veterans still receive checks. Thieves often target the mailboxes of people receiving federal benefits.
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Instructions
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Wait a reasonable period before reporting the check missing. Most federal agencies will not respond if the check is late by just a day or two. Once the check is a week or more late, you can report it missing.
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Contact the agency that issued the check. For veterans' benefits, this may be the Department of Veterans Affairs or the Social Security Administration. Both agencies have online forms and contact numbers to report benefit issues, and they can generally issue a new check in about a week. Visit the Resources section for links to these forms.
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Report the possible theft to the United States Postal Inspection Service. There is an online form available to report mail theft; visit the Resources section for a link. After you file the report, an inspector will contact you.
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Tips & Warnings
Be sure to report the theft to both the issuing agency and the Postal Inspection Service. The issuing agency cannot pursue the case as a criminal matter, and the Postal Inspection Service is not involved with reissuing benefits checks.
