Why Did VA Send You a Choose VA Postcard? Is It Legitimate?

VA announced Choose VA postcards because it wanted about 3.8 million Veterans who were not enrolled in VA health care to learn about eligibility and how to enroll. The announced mailing window was August 13 through September 11, 2026; VA has not said in the reviewed notice that every postcard was sent or delivered. choose.va.gov is an official VA .gov site, and the campaign was real. But that does not prove an individual postcard, QR code, phone number or redirect is safe, and receiving the card does not establish eligibility or enrollment. Open VA.gov independently, use an official VA phone number, and confirm the full destination before sharing information. A separate “Veterans Savings Program” postcard is fraudulent, according to the FTC, and should not be confused with Choose VA.

Why did VA send Choose VA postcards?

VA published its Choose VA postcard notice on August 11, 2026. The agency said it planned to mail postcards to approximately 3.8 million Veterans who were not enrolled in VA health care. The stated purpose was to help those recipients learn about health-care eligibility and how to enroll.

VA announced that mailing would begin August 13 and continue through September 11, 2026. Those are the campaign dates VA announced—not proof that every card was mailed, delivered or received, and not evidence that VA extended the window. The notice identifies three official next steps: apply through VA.gov, call the Health Enrollment Center at 877-222-8387, or find a VA facility through VA.gov.

Receiving the postcard is an invitation to check—not an individual determination. It does not establish that the recipient is eligible or enrolled. Our VA health care eligibility, Priority Groups and enrollment guide explains the eligibility framework and application process, while the Health, Family and Community guide provides official starting points.

Is choose.va.gov an official VA website?

Yes. choose.va.gov is a real U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website. It carries the standard federal identification — “An official website of the United States government” and “An official website of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs” — uses the government’s .gov domain, and links to VA.gov to apply for health care and other benefits. It is an informational site that helps veterans compare VA benefit categories; the application itself still happens on VA.gov.

That answer establishes the site’s ownership, not the safety of every item bearing its name. A copied logo, printed address or QR-code label can be imitated, and a redirect may go somewhere other than the text suggests. Reach the site by typing the address into the browser yourself and read the full destination before continuing. The fraudulent sites VA shut down in April 2026 used look-alike endings such as .com and .biz instead of .gov.

How to verify a Choose VA postcard safely

Treat the campaign and the individual message as two separate questions. VA confirms that it announced the campaign. You still need to confirm the specific address, QR-code destination or phone number on the item in front of you.

Use this independent check:

1. Type VA.gov into the browser yourself instead of using the postcard’s link or QR code.
2. If you want to apply for health care, navigate from VA.gov to the official application.
3. If you prefer to call, obtain the number from an official VA page. VA’s campaign notice lists the Health Enrollment Center at 877-222-8387; the FTC identifies the VA Benefits Hotline at 800-827-1000 for benefits questions.
4. If a QR code is present, inspect the full destination before opening it. VA’s announcement says the address should point to www.va.gov.
5. Stop if the message creates urgency, requests sensitive information by phone or sends you to a look-alike domain.

VA’s August 25 cyber warning says not to use a phone number or link supplied by a questionable message. A familiar name, polished design or local reference is not independent verification. For a wider checklist covering phishing, cloned-voice calls and lookalike sites, use our guide to independently verifying a VA communication.

The ‘Veterans Savings Program’ postcard is not a VA program

The FTC says the Veterans Savings Program does not exist. According to the agency’s August 24 alert, fraudulent postcards may say that a veteran or spouse might qualify for extra monthly veterans benefits and may name the recipient’s state.

The mailer may also mention real programs such as the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) or TRICARE For Life. A real program name is being used as a credibility cue; it does not make the supposed savings program real or prove that the recipient qualifies for anything.

The FTC says the postcard may demand an immediate call or warn that the recipient could lose out. The objective is to draw someone into disclosing personal or financial information, including a Social Security number or bank account details. Do not call the number on that postcard.

Choose VA vs. Veterans Savings Program: how to tell them apart

The safest comparison is based on the agencies’ current descriptions—not on colors, logos or other physical details that scammers can copy.

What if you already called or shared information?

Stop further contact and use official channels that match the information you disclosed. Use the official reporting information at VSAFE or call 833-38V-SAFE (8-7233). The FTC also directs people to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

If bank or card information was disclosed, VA advises contacting the bank or card company right away. Use a number on a statement, card or independently opened official website—not the postcard. If personal information may have been exposed or used, IdentityTheft.gov provides situation-specific federal recovery steps. These resources can guide the response; this article cannot determine whether identity theft occurred or select a financial or legal remedy for an individual.

Where CSRA veterans can verify benefits and get legitimate help

Veterans in Augusta and the wider CSRA can use official federal, Georgia state and Aiken County channels without relying on a postcard’s contact information. The official veteran resource directory separates those starting points by jurisdiction.

For Georgia readers in Columbia and Richmond counties, the Georgia Department of Veterans Service lists its Augusta Veterans Field Service Office inside the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, rooms 1-D-264 and 1-D-265, at 950 15th St., Augusta. The page says appointments are preferred, weekday hours are 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m., and the current contacts are 706-733-0188, extensions 32336 or 32277.

For Aiken County readers, Aiken County Veterans Services lists 1930 University Parkway, Suite 2300, Aiken, and 803-642-1545. Its official page says the office assists veterans, military members and surviving dependents with federal and South Carolina benefit applications; appointments are listed from 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m. on weekdays excluding holidays. Check the official page or call before traveling because staffing and operating details can change.

These offices are practical benefits-assistance starting points. Their inclusion does not mean either office has reported this scam locally or can guarantee a particular benefit decision.

The same verification rule applies to broader impersonation tactics

In a separate August 25 warning, VA described a broader pattern of phishing, deepfake impersonation and typosquatting. A fake message may arrive by mail, email, text, phone or video, but the pressure tactic is similar: make the recipient react before independently checking the sender.

VA advises pausing when a communication creates fear or urgency, checking the web address and contacting the agency through a separate trusted source. That habit protects more than one postcard decision; it also reduces the chance that a cloned voice, false account problem or look-alike website will control the next step.

Bottom line

Choose VA is a real VA campaign; the Veterans Savings Program in the FTC warning is not a real program. VA announced the Choose VA postcards to direct Veterans who were not enrolled toward health-care eligibility and enrollment information. That campaign history does not authenticate an individual piece of mail. When in doubt, ignore the contact information supplied by the questionable item and verify through VA.gov or an independently obtained VA number; an official state or county veterans office can help with benefit questions.

Update history

• September 23, 2026: Clarified why VA announced the postcards, changed the campaign dates to historical announcement language, and separated the official-domain answer from verification of an individual message.
• September 5, 2026: Added the direct answer that choose.va.gov is an official VA website.
• August 28, 2026: Published the original Choose VA and Veterans Savings Program comparison.

About this update: The CSRA Women Veterans Resource Guide is an independent informational publisher, not the Department of Veterans Affairs or another government agency. This article does not determine eligibility or replace instructions from the responsible official source.

Questions or corrections? Contact us.

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