Online Dating Scammers Assume U.S. Military Identities To Defraud Single Women (VIDEO)

Women all over the world have long been known to fall for a man in uniform, but a new rash of scammers are taking advantage of that penchant by reportedly impersonating U.S. soldiers based in Iraq and Afghanistan in an effort to con women out of serious cash on online dating sites.

Britain estimates nearly $100 million is lost in online dating scams involving stolen identities, run by fraudsters usually based in West Africa, annually. And according to a new report, assuming the identity of U.S. military officers based overseas are, for many scammers, the perfect cover -- with photos usually readily available on the Internet, and brave, adventurous-sounding tales that seem to have enduring appeal when targeting single women.

"They're very clever at getting under your skin...seeing what makes you tick and working on human emotion," said Bernard Herdan of Britain's National Fraud Authority.

Watch the full Al Jazeera report here:

Comments

[Mandles99]

01:23 AM on 02/13/2011

I have never robbed or taken advantage of anyone, but sometimes while people watching, I can easily spot out the " butthurts," of whom anyone would be able to scam or take advantage. The real world is no different than the internet world when it comes to finding these people:

1.) They are insecure.
2.) They are uncomfortable in their surroundings, but yearning to be made comfortable.

If it's too good to be true, it is a scam. If you've never dated above a 5 or have had 9 and 10's interested in you and then all the sudden, a 9 or 10 in a uniform is giving you just enough to get your hopes up, avoids connecting in any real way, and wants your money--- you just paid a large sum of money to buy into your white-knight syndrome.

[one1byke]

02:37 PM on 12/31/2010

She fell in love with 0s and 1s.

[Supersteel]

08:59 AM on 12/30/2010

While foolish, i do feel bad. These women are lonely and generually good hearted.  Naive, but they want to believe. not everyone is as internet savvy or assumes the worst about people. unfortunately they learn the hard way

[Supersteel]

08:57 AM on 12/30/2010

People keep saying "Wow we had to learn about this from Al JAzeera?"

no. a  little google shows
 
fox news reported this in September
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/09/08/scammers-target-military-scams-know/
 
or from military soldier's websites
 
http://www.soldiersperspective.us/2010/12/20/new-online-military-scammers/
 
local news in August
 
http://www2.wnct.com/news/2010/aug/05/online-military-scam-ar-323964/
 
houston newspaper
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7141728.html
 
 
So, yes, american newssites have covered this and no this did not first come from al jazeera.
 
the P i guess just noticed this now.
 
 

[marknez21]

03:21 AM on 12/30/2010

Internet crime. Many people around world our naive, and these people take advantage from these people.
They are crooks like bankers.

[darter22]

11:06 AM on 12/29/2010

Really? It is almost 2011. If you are still willing to send money to a person you have never met, then you are a naive and gullible person who deserves to get ripped off. That check from Nigeria is NOT in the mail.

[netzwerg]

10:49 AM on 12/29/2010

You must be severely mentally challenged to fall for this stuff.

[Alonso Quijano]

10:36 AM on 12/29/2010

This is another scam or crime that is made possible by the fact that on the internet one can so easily assume a fake identity. There is no way to trace people as there is through a fixed phone line.

I hope governments find SOME way too make email IDs uniquely associated with real people who show a document to get access.

Maybe the U.S. post office can start an internet service in which you can't get an internet ID unless you show up in person at a post office with an identification document that has an address on it, and also a phone number. Businesses should also be part of this with proiper documentation.

If such a system were in place, I, for one, would refuse to even look at emails that come from unidentifiable sources.

To pay for this internet security. a very small charge, say one cent, per email sent would be sufficient.

[gaexpat]

10:32 AM on 12/29/2010

The good people at http://419eater.com/ have transformed baiting these scammers into a sport.

[UchihaHunter]

09:27 AM on 12/29/2010

Rofl, that's what happens when you have blind admiration for your military...news flash, that is not patriotism, that is nationalism/stupidity.

[black series]

07:19 AM on 12/29/2010

Haha Dumb women.

[netzwerg]

07:01 AM on 12/29/2010

Looks like the Nigeria Connection has a new scheme.

I always enjoy their emails, they are very creative.

Here are some examples: http://www.potifos.com/fraud/

[giverny98]

12:12 PM on 12/29/2010

I haven't gotten one of the Nigerian ones in ages, but I used love to play those guys like a fiddle.

[Ascoli]

06:12 AM on 12/29/2010

I get those 'military email requests ' too.
Of course they get deleted immediately.
However, these scammmers know that Americans are ....... teary eyed yellow ribbon softies when it comes to soldier boys and girls in their spiffy uniforms.
That're bound to get a few patriotic simpletons.

[jFlagg]

10:52 AM on 12/29/2010

the women are looking to cash in on the socia list programs that soldiers get. Health care, housing, cheaper food at the PX.

[Lonesomebri]

01:09 AM on 12/29/2010

I heard of a minister's daughter who fell for this. I thought what fool would send money to a complete stranger who they've never seen, just because he promised to love them? The minister kicked in $10,000 for the daughters "savior". And people turn to them for advice....

[Doktorkev]

12:54 AM on 12/29/2010

These women may not be stupid, but wiring $400,000 to a man you've never met???

Stupid

[giverny98]

12:12 PM on 12/29/2010

Wiring $4 to anyone you never met would be a red flag for me.