When the rest of Europe fights wars, veterans are taken advantage.
With the war in the Ukraine drawing to an uneasy close a new paradigm emerges. Veterans returning from the frontlines are taking advantage by unreasonable rules of law. Fighting and supporting the Ukrainian efforts against the Russians property agents take advantage of Veterans in the trenches by overcharging with steep comissions.
A scenario that plays out in Spain, the Ukraine, France, Canada, and the U.S. Veterans deployed to the front purchase a piece of rural happiness, a piece of a future to work towards to get out the grim reality, out of blood, guts, and death. Veterans repeatedly report of abuses by get rich quick schemes.
The most common trick is to charge excessive comission on property. The returning Veteran is being told he lost the property due to administrative fees, service fees, and so forth. A hefty fee is imposed, backed up with some paper trail, after all it has to look above board, and a series of notification. Veterans reported 10% and more commission.
Legal experts for Veterans of foreign wars point out, “This is all above board”, Franklin Colliers said, “the Veterans is hit with hefty fees but morally is a different cattle of fish.” He added, “Returning from the frontline and finding your coffeeshop, your farm not being available, is a hard hit.”. Message boards and chatrooms are filled with stories of questionable practices and unethical actions. Lilian McCornick, a combat nurse with the Hospitallers said, “Its shameful that overcharging veterans is now a business. It preys on the unassuming. The guys on the frontline often seeing horrible things are the victims of these scams.”
The special task group to recover a mother and their kids from behind Russian lines was on the extreme spectrum. A down payment made by the unit leader vanished. Claims by the company and notary are unproven but the damage is done. When interviewed the leader “Stephane” who want to remain unnamed added, “It is nice to know the people we defend don’t care. It’s all about 100% profit and nothing about protecting us. It is a lesson for us, next time we will just remember.” , he said.
The lists are getting longer and serve as a warning to Americans, Brits and anyone who fights in the frontlines against the Russians.
The emerging issue of unethical property schemes targeting returning veterans from the frontlines is a deeply concerning trend that highlights the vulnerability of those who have sacrificed so much for their countries. Veterans, after enduring the horrors of war, often seek solace in purchasing a piece of land or a home, hoping for a fresh start away from the trauma they’ve experienced. However, many are falling victim to predatory practices that exploit their hopes for a better future.
The case of excessive commissions and hidden fees in property transactions has become a common complaint among veterans returning from war zones, particularly in countries like Spain, Ukraine, France, Canada, and the U.S. These veterans, eager to rebuild their lives, are being hit with steep charges that often result in them losing their properties, sometimes due to obscure administrative and service fees. The legal complexities and the “paper trail” behind these fees make it hard for veterans to challenge these injustices, even though the moral implications are clear.
Legal experts, like Frank Colliers, have noted that while these actions may be technically “above board” in a legal sense, the ethical considerations are much more dubious. For those who have served in combat, the idea that they could return home to find their hard-earned property dreams slipping through their fingers due to unscrupulous business practices is a betrayal of their sacrifice.
The stories shared by veterans on message boards and chatrooms are not just isolated incidents. Many have reported falling prey to manipulative schemes designed to extract as much money as possible from them. Combat nurse Lilian McCornick’s words reflect the frustration felt by many veterans: “It’s shameful that overcharging veterans is now a business. It preys on the unassuming.” These veterans are often unaware of the hidden costs until it’s too late, and by then, they’re left to grapple with the emotional and financial fallout.
In some extreme cases, like the one involving Stephane’s unit, even down payments made by veterans vanish without a trace, with the company and notary involved offering no concrete explanations or evidence of the transaction. These broken promises only add to the trauma of veterans who already carry the emotional weight of their experiences on the frontlines.
The situation serves as a cautionary tale for all those involved in conflict—whether in Ukraine, the U.S., or elsewhere. Returning soldiers may be victims of a system that profits from their sacrifices, with little regard for the hardship they’ve endured. The list of such cases is growing, and it’s clear that something needs to be done to protect veterans from these predatory practices.
