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  • Geebo 8:00 am on April 19, 2024 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , military romance scam, ,   

    Military man charged in romance scam 

    Military man charged in romance scam

    By Greg Collier

    Romance scammers frequently adopt the identities of military personnel, ranging from newly enlisted recruits to high-ranking officers. This impersonation offers scammers a convenient excuse for avoiding face-to-face meetings with their victims, claiming they are stationed abroad and unable to return to the US for extended periods. But what unfolds when the perpetrator behind the deception is actually a member of the military themselves?

    The recent case of a soldier, stationed at Fort Liberty, underscores the pervasive threat of romance scams and the devastating impact they can have on victims. The story unfolds with the 33-year-old active-duty service member, pleading guilty to three counts of money laundering in September after being accused of orchestrating a sophisticated romance scam operation. Operating under various aliases and personas, the soldier allegedly preyed upon the trust of unsuspecting individuals by impersonating love interests, diplomats, customs personnel, and fellow military members.

    Romance scams like this often involve building a false sense of intimacy and trust with their victims before exploiting them financially. In this case, the soldier is accused of manipulating victims into divulging personal information and gaining access to their inheritance and property. The funds obtained were then laundered through personal bank accounts across state lines and through contacts overseas, leaving a trail of financial devastation in his wake.

    What makes this case particularly egregious is the fact that the soldier carried out these fraudulent activities while serving as an active-duty soldier at Fort Liberty, formerly known as Fort Bragg. This betrayal of trust not only tarnishes the reputation of the military but also highlights the vulnerability of individuals, including seniors and military veterans, to such nefarious schemes.

    A US Attorney even commented that the fact that an Army service member was involved in romance scams while serving as a soldier is appalling.

    If someone claiming to be a service member approaches you romantically, there are several steps you can take to protect yourself from a potential romance scam. Request their official military email address, and do a reverse image search of any photos they use in their communications.

    Watch out for inconsistencies in their story, such as frequent excuses for not being able to meet in person or reluctance to provide specific details about their military service. Be cautious if they quickly profess love or ask for money or personal information.

    Engage in conversation about their military experience, unit, or deployment. Legitimate service members are often proud to discuss their service and can provide details about their duties, base, or deployment history.

    If something feels off or too good to be true, it’s important to listen to your intuition. Take a step back and reassess the situation before proceeding further.

    If you suspect that you’re being targeted by a romance scammer impersonating a service member, report the individual to the relevant authorities. This may include contacting the military branch they claim to belong to or reporting the incident to online platforms where you encountered them.

    By asking questions, and verifying information, you can reduce the risk of falling victim to a romance scam perpetrated by someone claiming to be a service member. It’s essential to prioritize your safety and well-being in any online interaction.

     

  • Geebo 9:00 am on February 12, 2024 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , military romance scam, ,   

    Victim was under the spell of romance scammers for years 

    Victim was under the spell of romance scammers for years

    By Greg Collier

    With Valentine’s Day being this week, several media outlets are running stories warning their audiences about romance scams. This is for good reason, as Valentine’s Day is when many people feel their loneliest, and are most vulnerable to these scams. While you might be familiar with the red flags indicating a romance scam, it’s essential to know what steps to take if a loved one, be it a friend or family member, becomes ensnared in one.

    Typically, a romance scam is a type of fraud where a scammer creates a fake online persona to establish a romantic relationship with someone, usually through dating websites or social media platforms. Once trust is gained, the scammer often starts asking for money, claiming to be in a financial crisis or needing funds for various reasons. They may fabricate elaborate stories to manipulate their victims into sending them money or personal information. Ultimately, the scammer disappears once they’ve obtained what they wanted, leaving the victim emotionally and financially devastated.

    The COVID-19 lockdowns were a heyday for romance scams, with so many people being unable to physically visit their friends and family. This was emotionally damaging to many, but none more so than the elderly. Many family members wouldn’t visit their older relatives due to fear of accidentally infecting them with the virus. With many elderly people being physically isolated from their families, this left many seniors emotionally vulnerable and more susceptible to falling victim to scams.

    The circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 lockdowns contributed to the unfortunate case of a 78-year-old Ohio woman falling prey to multiple romance scams. Engaging in online word games, she likely encountered these scammers. Shockingly, one of them impersonated a retired four-star Army General, further highlighting the deceptive tactics used to exploit vulnerable individuals.

    Despite her daughter’s concerns and attempts to intervene, the victim remained steadfast in her belief of an ongoing romantic relationship, refusing to acknowledge the deception. Even after the daughter halted payments on checks to unknown individuals from their joint account, the victim insisted on releasing the funds when she visited the bank. Tragically, this persistence led to devastating financial losses, including the forfeiture of a $150,000 inheritance and the necessity of selling her house to prevent foreclosure.

    In such a situation, it’s crucial for the family member to approach with empathy and understanding while also taking decisive action to protect their loved one. Here are some steps they could take.

    Have an open and non-judgmental conversation with the victim. Express concern for their well-being and explain why their actions are worrying. Provide information about romance scams, including common tactics used by scammers and the warning signs to look out for. Help them understand that they may be manipulated. You may also want to seek assistance from professionals such as financial advisors, therapists, or social workers who have experience dealing with elder financial exploitation and psychological vulnerabilities.

    You may also consider taking steps to safeguard the victim’s finances, such as monitoring accounts, freezing assets, or setting up safeguards to prevent further monetary losses. Or, if necessary, consider legal options such as obtaining power of attorney or guardianship to protect the victim’s interests and make decisions on their behalf.

    It’s important to approach the situation with patience and persistence, understanding that breaking the hold of a scam can be challenging and may require ongoing support and intervention.

     

  • Geebo 9:00 am on November 29, 2021 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: military romance scam, ,   

    Look out for romance scams during the holidays 

    Look out for romance scams during the holidays

    By Greg Collier

    Most people don’t like being alone during the holiday season. When someone finds themselves in just such a situation, they can often let their heart override their mind when it comes to being scammed. Many people who are looking for a little companionship, especially during the holiday season, can frequently ignore red flags which would normally be obvious indications of a scam. This is why we see romance scams affect people from those just getting by to those in the upper echelons of business.

    The online romance scam can target not just those who are on dating apps, but those who may not have even been searching for a new partner. It starts when the victim is messaged by a scammer posing as someone else. Often the scammers will pose as a military member who is stationed overseas, but will sometimes pose as an oil rig worker or an international businessman. This is done to make it so the scammers have an easy out when it comes to why they can’t meet their supposed romantic partner in person or talk on the phone. The scammers will even use stolen pictures of actual service members and others to make the scam seem more convincing.

    What all the romance scams have in common is that the scammer will eventually ask their victims for money. Sometimes it’s for a supposed emergency, while other times it’s to help with a big international business deal. We’ve even seen instances where victims were asked for money to help get jewels and gold bars out of a foreign country. Once a victim gives money to a romance scammer, the scammer will continue to ask for even more money. Recently, a Colorado woman was scammed out of $8000 by someone claiming to have been stationed in Afghanistan. However, we’ve also seen reports where victims ran afoul of the law after embezzling money from their employers just to pay their romantic partners, who are actually scammers.

    If you’re on a dating app or platform and someone wants to message you outside the platform, this could be an indicator that they’re a scammer. The best way to protect yourself from romance scammers is to do a reverse image search of any picture they send you of themselves. If the results some back to someone who isn’t who they say they are, then your best bet is to cut off any communication with them. It goes doubly so if they start asking you for money if you haven’t even met yet.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on March 23, 2021 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , military romance scam, ,   

    A record year for romance scams 

    $4,000,000 stolen in romance scam

    By Greg Collier

    The Federal Trade Commission recently released a report that said that Americans lost a total of around $304 million to romance scams in 2020. That’s a 50% increase since 2019. For the third year in a row, romance scams were listed as the number one scam that was reported to the FTC. The actual amount of money lost is probably even higher since many victims are too embarrassed to ever come forward. The pandemic was cited as the main reason why there was such a spike in romance scam activity. Seniors over 70 lost a median amount of close to $10,000 each while people in their 20s saw the biggest increase in d=falling for these scams.

    However, we’re getting a little ahead of ourselves. While most of our readers already know what a romance scam is, it doesn’t hurt to explain it to new readers. A romance scam is when a victim meets someone online who isn’t who they say they are. The scammers will often use the photo of someone they found online, often a member of the military but not always. The scammer will lead the victim to believe that they are in some kind of romantic relationship, but the scammer will keep making excuses as to why they can’t meet in public. Usually, the scammer will say they’re either deployed overseas or they’re working out of the country. Before too long, the scammer will start asking the victim for money. In some cases the money will be or gifts, or the scammer will claim they need the money for some kind of emergency. The scammers will keep asking for money until the victim realizes they’re being scammed. The scam has been known to find victims in both men and women.

    In a lot of romance scams, it’s often hard for the victim to believe they’re being scammed. There have been cases where the victim got into legal trouble after stealing money to send to their fictitious romantic partner. As a friend or family member, it may be up to you to do the detective work for them. Do a reverse image search of the photo being used by the scammer. You’ll often find that the picture was stolen from someone with a completely different identity. Also do a search for the job the scammer is claiming to have and include the word ‘scammer’ in the search.

    If you feel like someone you know might be the victim of a romance scam, please let them know before it’s too late.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on May 13, 2020 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , military romance scam, ,   

    The other victims of romance scams 

    The other victims of romance scams

    When we’ve discussed romance scams in the past, we usually focus on the victims who have lost money. However, there are other victims of the scam that we may not have considered.

    If you’re unfamiliar with romance scams, they also go by the name catfishing. A scammer will set up a phony social media or dating profile. They’ll then approach a victim online like they’re seeking a romantic relationship. They might string the victim along for weeks or months. They’ll often give excuses as to why they can’t meet in person, usually business-related but not always. Eventually, they’ll approach their victim for money. A lot of the time the scammers will claim they’re stuck in some remote location and need the money to get home. Other times they’ll say it’s for a business venture that could make the victim rich. Sometime they’ll even flat out ask for gifts.

    This scam is prevalent among the military. Not as financial victims, but as the ones having their pictures stolen to be used on the scammers’ fake accounts. Scammers prefer using the pictures of military members as it gives them a built-in excuse as to why they may be overseas or unable to meet in person. Sadly, these military members are victims too as they often find themselves being sought out by the financial victims of the scam.

    For example, a Naval Petty Officer stationed in Virginia says that he receives several messages a day from victims of a romance scam that used his picture. Too often the victims believe that the person in the picture is the actual scammer. He says that he even had victims go after his girlfriend online. In some cases, he says, victims will even physically track down the military member used in the picture.

    We’re sure we don’t have to instruct military members on how to conduct themselves on social media because they’re probably given guidelines for that all the time. However, if you want to protect yourself or someone you know from one of these scams, one of the best things you can do is a reverse image search. This will allow you to see if the picture being sent is one being used somewhere else online under a different name.

     

  • Geebo 9:33 am on September 18, 2019 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: Baaki Abdul Majeed, Kahad A. Wuupin, , military romance scam, , , Thomas D. Inkoom   

    Victim taken for +$750K in gold and jewels scam 

    Victim taken for +$750K in gold and jewels scam

    Three men from across the country have been indicted on federal charges of mail fraud for allegedly fleecing an unidentified Kentucky woman out of $757,000 in a military romance scam. Baaki Abdul Majeed, Kahad A. Wuupin, and Thomas D. Inkoom are accused of posing as a United States service member and engaging in an online relationship with the victim through social media. Much like the phony gold bar scam we’ve discussed before, the three men posed as a GI who was trying to get a fortune out of the country where they were supposedly stationed. This time it was $10 million of gold and jewels out of the West African nation of Ghana. While two of the scammers live in Washington and the third in New Jersey, they all have ties to Ghana.

    The suspects are said to have requested several checks from the victim over a four-month period with the largest being for $95,000. The scammers instructed the victim to put items like cars and real estate in the memo lines of the checks in order to throw the bank off from detecting a possible scam. Some checks were even sent from different bank accounts. While not mentioned in reports, we’re pretty sure this was also done to keep any bank from running across the scam. All three suspects are said to be facing 20-year maximum sentences.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-8xygLikI0%5D

    Again, we have to stress that romance scams like this can happen to anyone no matter how savvy or intelligent the victim might be. Millions of dollars are lost to romance scammers every year in the United States and have claimed victims from all socioeconomic classes. If you or someone you know is involved with someone online that you haven’t met face to face yet, you should be very suspicious if they start asking for money. If you give money to a scammer once, they’ll keep coming back for more and will try to prey on your emotions to get it. As always, If you think someone you know may be the target of a romance scam, please show them the FTC’s website about romance scams and/or our posts about romance scams.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on September 5, 2019 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: military romance scam, , , Rubbin Sarpong,   

    Gold bar romance scam cost victims millions 

    Gold bar romance scam cost victims millions

    A 30-year-old man from New Jersey was recently arrested for allegedly swindling over $2 million from victims in a romance scam. Romance scams are designed to prey upon the lonely and take advantage of their vulnerable state. It’s not unheard of for victims to have given anywhere from hundreds to millions of dollars to romance scammers. The scammers typically tend to pose as military personnel who are stationed overseas as was the case of Rubbin Sarpong of Millville, New Jersey. Sarpong is accused of scamming millions of dollars from a total of 30 victims.

    Sarpong reportedly posed as a member of the military stationed in Syria on multiple dating and social media sites. After he had his victims believing in the fictitious romance, Sarpong would ask for money to ship gold bars from Syria to the United States. In reality, there were no gold bars and Sarpong kept the money for himself. At least one victim wired $28,000 to Sarpong. While Sarpong was able to maintain this scam for three years it didn’t stop him from bragging on social media about how much money he made. He would often post pictures online of himself with large stacks of cash. At his court appearance after his arrest, Sarpong even tried telling the judge that he couldn’t afford an attorney. The judge denied his request for a public defender. If convicted, Sarpong is looking at 20 years in federal prison.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3IyrP0mxKc%5D

    When it comes to romance scams, if money becomes involved before you ever meet someone face to face then the odds are likely that they’re trying to con you. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has a website with tips on how to avoid romance scams. If you know someone who may be the target of a romance scam, please show them the FTC’s website and/or our posts about romance scams.

     

  • Geebo 8:05 am on August 5, 2019 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: Adam Kinzinger, military romance scam,   

    Romance scam even hits Congress 

    Romance scam even hits Congress

    Previously, we’ve posted about how online romance scams have affected people from all walks of life. From an older gentleman who refused to believe the warnings of his family to a woman who stole millions of dollars from her employer in order to pay someone she thought she was in a relationship with. With many of these scams, the scammers tend to pose as military personnel in order to give the illusion that they’re serving overseas. Now news has come out that the scam has even reached the halls of Congress.

    Representative Adam Kinzinger from Illinois has been the victim of many romance scams but not in the way you might think. Representative Kinzinger is also a lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard. This means that his likeness has been used multiple times in a number of romance scams. Rep. Kinzinger has said that he has had victims of the scams that have used his pictures visit him in the US Capitol looking for some form of justice. This has caused Rep. Kinzinger to call on social media outlets to do a better job in weeding out these scammers. Seeing the number of victims affected by military romance scams has even prompted Rep. Kinzinger to start to draft legislation that would compel social media platforms to do more to try to prevent these scams.

    Rep. Kinzinger has had his likeness used in these scams since 2008 after he was stationed in Iraq as an Air Force pilot. Reportedly, victims of the scams have lost thousands of dollars to scammers using Kinzinger’s images. Kinzinger’s staff even pour through social media looking for phony accounts that bear Kinzinger’s likeness showing just how far these scammers are willing to go to fleece their victims out of their money. Sadly, even when Kinzinger’s office reports these scammers to the various social media platforms, the scammers just open new accounts and continue the cycle.

     

  • Geebo 8:30 am on July 31, 2019 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , Equifax, military romance scam, , ,   

    Just how bad are military romance scams? 

    Just how bad are military romance scams?

    In a military romance scam, the scammer poses as a member of the US military and target potential victims. Like in most other romance scams, they’ll have the victim believing they’re in some type of relationship before asking for money. These scammers are largely from Nigeria where many of the scammers claim that these scams pay more than honest work. It’s become such a problem that the Department of Defense has employees that constantly scan social media for phony military accounts and report them to the platform in question. The Army’s Criminal Investigation Command receives numerous complaints about these scams but since the scams actually involve civilians it’s out of their jurisdiction.

    If you’ve been following the news lately you may be aware of the settlement that credit reporting company Equifax has been ordered to give because of a massive data breach that happened in 2017. The Federal Trade Commission has ordered Equifax to pay $425 million to consumers affected by the breach. his has meant that you may be able to claim $125 from the settlement. Of course, where there’s a payout there’s likely to be a scam. Fake websites are popping up claiming to be the official Equifax settlement website. The goal of these phony websites is to either to get you to give up your personal information or pay for a settlement that will never come. The official FTC settlement site can be found at https://www.ftc.gov/Equifax.

    Speaking of payments, a number of news outlets are reporting about a bank scam that’s affecting consumers. In this scam, you’ll receive a text message warning you that there’s been fraudulent activity on your bank account. You’ll then receive a phone call that appears to be from your bank with someone asking you to input your PIN. Once you do this the scammers will have control of your bank account. It’s easy for just about anyone to spoof a phone number to make it look like it’s coming from your bank. If you receive one of these calls the best thing to do is hang up and call the bank at the official number listed on the back of your credit or debit card.

     

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