Showing posts with label military scams. Show all posts
Showing posts with label military scams. Show all posts
August 6, 2013
Military Scams Targeting Dating Sites












Men and women of uniform, traditionally, have been those we can trust.  Those who put their lives on the line to protect our freedom.  There are many military men and women who use online dating sites and social networks such as Match.com, eCupid.com or Facebook to find love and new friends.  Many women subscribers are often approached by men claiming to be in the U.S. or U.K. military.  They often claimed to be stationed in countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, or even in Africa. Profiles show names, military ranks and photos stolen from real soldiers, some of them while still on duty, some of them who even died in service. Because internet criminals have had much success in the scam, the number of these cases are on the rise, and the risk is growing.

Dating background checks  have been a great solution for those who wish to verify their online contacts from online dating and social networking.  Scammers take advantage of the good will and naive nature of their victims. Many of these techniques would fail if internet users understood the risk and knew the warning signs.  Unfortunately, some scammers are so good that it can be nearly impossible to determine who is real and who is not.  In a growing number of cases, there is simply no way to know the truth without hiring a reputable private investigation company.

Military scams can be especially difficult for victims to detect and accept.  Many victims want to help the soldier and support their country, and in doing so end up losing thousands of dollars, or have their identity stolen.  Learning about military ranks and what different soldiers do can help educate those not from the military, and also is a great help in avoiding fake soldiers.

Hiring an international investigator can be a great option for those who have met someone they want to know better, or who think they may have met someone special, but that person happens to be a soldier who was met online.  Fraud experts and law enforcement agree that it's important to verify early in the relationship to avoid the dangers and damage from internet fraud.

There’s a special kind of magic to see those uniformed men, giving their lives to protect us.  Investigators say to remain skeptical online and remember any profile and photo can very easily be false, and in fact nearly half of all online profiles on the internet today are false!

Be safe online and watch out for the warning signs.  If you meet Mr. Perfect on the web, and you're thinking of starting a relationship with this person.  Be safe.  Get a background check.

S. Birch
© 2013 S. Birch
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October 18, 2012
Military Scams Getting Out of Control, Say Investigators















Romance scams are a thing of the past right?  Surely everyone knows about these by now and no one intelligent could ever be a victim, right? Wrong.  The games and rules have changed.  More people are connecting online than ever before, and not everyone is an experienced internet users.  Senior citizens and new internet users are often the targets, although even the most seasoned and experienced and skeptical internet user can be a victim of military scams online.

Military personnel are generally people we can trust.  They fight for our country and they stand for freedom.  They put their lives in harm’s way for their country.  They are trusted individuals who are moral and honest.  Criminals understand this widely held perception, and they are cashing in on it.  If you ever meet someone from the military on an online dating site or social networking site, extra caution is advised due to the growing fraud risk.  Be safe and skeptical online.

International investigators have seen an alarming rising rate of scammers impersonating as members of the U.S. military claiming to be in Iraq, Afghanistan or elsewhere.  In many cases, a real identity of a real solider will be used, making it very difficult for average citizens to verify.  Often determine what is real and what is a fraud requires the skills and training of a reputable private investigator.  Criminals and online scammer can be so convincing in their dating scams that investigators report even lawyers and members of law enforcement being victims.

Con artists use photographs and profiles of members in the military to convince their victims easily. Public records are often used to gather real identities, so when the victim tries to verify the person’s story, everything appears to check out.  Once trust is established, complications soon follow, and the goal of the criminal will be to either steal your identity or money or both.

According to a report provided by the U.S. Criminal Investigation Command (CIC) warning citizens about military scams, dating scams have cost U.S. citizens over $2 billion USD in 2011.  Military members whose identities have been stolen, report no other harm to themselves other than having their background and photos used to perpetrate these internet crimes to citizens around the world.  The primary victims are women in developed nations, although anyone can be a victim.

The CIC, FBI and professional background international investigators advise extreme caution when being approached by people you don’t know over the internet. In most cases there are red flags and it’s important to listen to your instinct.  In other cases, it will be necessary to contact a reputable investigation company to conduct a dating background check to be safe.

All the best,

S. Birch
© 2012 S. Birch
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