I just came across a post on “A Soldier’s Perspective” discussing a rather disgusting and disturbing trend that has guys posing as soldiers on Internet dating sites. Here’s the quote from CJ’s:
The latest trend involves trolling internet dating sites and convincing women that they are honorable Soldiers who have fallen in love and would do anything to communicate with the object of their affection. But, because they are deployed to Afghanistan or Iraq, they need you to sign up for an expensive telecommunications service like “Military TELEX” in order to make that happen. They profess unending love as their motivator and, unfortunately, many women have fallen for it.
The BIG red flag here is that the guy is asking for money. NEVER fall for that con.
If you come across anyone on a dating site who is asking you for money, regardless of the reason; block them immediately from further contact and then report them to the internet dating service.
You can also check out who is really behind their email address…
AND / or their telephone number…
To read specific details about about one incident, read CJ’s post “The New Military Dating Scam”.
Meet REAL Military Singles at MilitarySinglesConnection
Started in 2002, Military Singles Connection is the premier destination for dating for the thousands of men and women who serve or have served in the armed forces. Other military dating services can’t compete with the number of quality members or features you’ll find when you join the top Military singles dating site.
Military Singles Connection provides online personals services, including online profiles and photographs of single men and women, chat rooms and an instant messenger – to enable others to communicate in real time, a private mailbox to enable others to exchange personal messages, a public forum to enable others to exchange messages and information… and more!
Join Military Singles Connection today!
Hi everyone
I posted on here last week when I suspected I was being scammed but couldn’t prove it. Well I was and now I can prove it ! I very nearly lost £2k but he’s got away with £500. I’ve had loads of emails from other victims, from this website and http://www.scamwarners.com and http://www.soldierperspective.us …. both worth checking out. He’s using Match Affinity.com and the current aliases THOMAS ZENDROSKY, STEVE MCCABE, DAVE BRUNER. Some of these scams I’ve traced back over 5 years. There are photos of this monster on soldierperspective’s Wall of Shame. I’ve taken this as far as I can …. the names are plastered all over google and I’ve been onto the Police in the UK and Fraud Watch. I fell hook, line and sinker for this scumbag who I think targetted me as a widow. I felt stupid at first, but support from everyone who’s been or being scammed has been fantastic. I’m up to 7 confirmed aliases now .. including trying to claim to be two high profile US Military Officers !! We can’t let them win !
Thanks for the comments Rosie.
Since my last message i have heard nothing from him and have been out my mind not knowing if he was safe. I had done some digging around but it is impossible to find out ip nos just from messages sent through facebook. I also have found that he has 2 profiles on facebook 1 being Leo peters which he uses to contact me and then another one with a variation of his name Leonard Peter. it looks like he is doing the same to another lady on there has from what i can gather he is saying he is going over to meet her when he finishes in Afghanistan in Nov. I just wonder if he is getting money from her and knew he wouldnt get any from me. This woman is spanish and older so maybe he thinks she has money. I was low and vunerable when he contacted me and Normally i am very aware of things like this but he caught me totally off guard and now im left picking up the pieces as i truly fell for him. I have found he is safe from his profile as it is supposed to be his birthday today and he s updated his status. I thought he would have at least let me know he was safe instead his last message was to declare his love nad how important i was to him and couldnt wait to meet me . he then has just vanished but i find it strange he has not blocked me so i can still send him messages. Maybe he gets off on this but its totally cruel. Dont no whether he will contact me in time again and start asking for money. I will get my own back on him one way or the other. Bella
to bella, i know exactly how you feel as i was taken in by a so called colonel a year or so ago i have been approached twice more since then but fortunately i am savvy to most of the scams now and can recognise them. it will go one of several ways. he will ask you to send money to set up a communication system or he will ask you for money to arrange “leave” or he will say he will send you a package with documents in. he may ask for money for legal documents to be dealt with. or his papers cannot be collected by a “diplomat” before you send the fee. these men mostly from accra in ghana do mess with your emotions they are very clever and when you find out its a scam it can be devastating and you feel broken hearted at first but then you feel foolish when you realise you have been used by these men. but ask yourself how can someone claim to be in love with you when you havent even met, when you get over it you will realise how ridiculous it all is and you will want to warn others as i do not to fall for this. please dont be taken in to send money, as soon as money is mentioned stop communicating straight away. of course this could be genuine in which case he will not ask for money i hope this is the case but the commonsense in me says stop now it will hurt but you will get over it i promise. good luck from rosie
A quick PS.
This is his follow up to the original email from him I posted on here.
**Hon there is a lot to Military stuffs that you don’t know about..you will get to know a lot with time. Is not that i can’t make a call across to you babe.. but is has to go thorugh an activation process.. but to clarify you feelings. i’ll try and use one of our terminal to get across to you.. if only the call is going to go through.. i hope so.
You have to understand this is a war front, we’re restricted to a lot of things here.. Earlier this year.. some soldier were kill through a letter bomb, including some CIA officer.. since then , they don’t allow anything posted to get into our camps.. it has to go through stiff scrutiny.**
I could laugh out loud if I wasnt feeling so humiliated.
Hello everyone
I am a recently ‘hit on’ sucker (I FEEL SO STUPID – BUT THE ALARM BELLS WENT OFF EARLY THANKFULLY).
Although no money has changed hands, he has only just broached the subject.
I have been in contact with NCIS and got a polite email back saying it was with the FBI and others. Out of sheer frustration and anger I have kept up the charade with my charming ‘military officer’ (gorgeous perfect man) and this is todays email below. He had supplied me with an email address for a general who would approve his ‘leave’ after I applied for him. Please read the following email as to how good this guy is getting, sometimes it sounds like complete nonsense, but I have to admit, he is good.
**I don’t know how on earth this scammer get to know about this leave process.. now they are using it as scam.. This issue has been on high discussion here, The Commander General even want to stop all soldiers here from internet dating.. maybe that will work.. Babe.. listen let me get somethings clear to you..
As you can see the mail address i gave you is a Military domain address for the NATO officers here. All the Arm Forces working on peace keeping mission, from all over the country are under the same body called NATO forces.. And Gen David Petreaus is the Commander General here… that is why the application is going through him.
As the process continues, you will be provided with all necessary documents and form to be filled.. we just have to go by the basis of the processing to get it done..**
This is one of the bad emails, because most of the time his emails are well written. There appears to be a pattern as if at times someone else is writting the email as well.
From what I have been able to discover, military personnel apply for their own leave, these scammers are good, I have found that they like to go for women who have only just signed up to a site. When they have been removed from your email inbox and contact lists on some sites, its because they have been busted.
This one goes by Mickelson or Michelson – Capt US Navy – Kabul Afghanistan. late 40s – divorced – 12yo son – mum died – injured men – hurting without me.
As I write this I am receiving pleading emails for me to not let it bother me and that he is miserable with out me. I feel really bad from fixating on this good looking man who probably has no clue how many women have fallen for a fake version of him. And I also feel like a stalker in some strange way, wanting to know what the real one was like. But I think thats the price we pay, I now have trust issues and have removed my profile from internet dating sites.
It sucks, but I would pay to be involved with prosecuting these people.
Warn your friends, be aware.
has anyone been contacted by a jeffrey lawrence? i got scammed for £370 he also wanted £500 towards his transit fee from afghanistan, when i didnt pay it he never contacted me again. this is the email address he used captjeffreylaw@yahoo.com. Jo
Hi there
I am from the uk and was contacted out of the blue from someone who says he is a U S naval officer serving in Afghanistan is 40 years old called Dr Leonard Peters who says he is in Kabul but his home is Detroit Michigan. He says he was lonely and was looking for friendship and dating. We started messaging each other via facebook so i dont know his email adress as we are not friends through facebook. One thing lead to another then he keopt sending me love poems and loves me every day of his life and wants to meet me. he asked for my phone no which I gave him my mobile no. he never rang I fell head over heals in love with him and its made me ill as i have not heard from him in a week. His last email was saying how much he loved me and couldnt wait to meet me and said how important i was to him. I have kept mailing him to see why he has stopped contacting me. He has never asked for money or anything but im still broken hearted You thought he would at least have the decentcy to let me know he is safe. he has not blocked me on facebook which is strange but then a friend of mine said he will want to read my messages of desparation to mess with my emotions. How can i check him out
hi….
right first of all WOW wot professional scammers…. im afraid i may be right in thinkin my friend is becoming a victim of this but i know she has fallen out with all her family who has warned her of these kind of crimes i’ve only just learnt all this today as i’ve not spoken to her for several month’s as she has just informed me she is moving to california soon with her new “fella” i decided out of curiosity to google his name “Major James Rellinger” and i learnt and have read all regarding this name i want to warn her but at the same time i know she is’nt going to listen and then become upset for me doubting her would someone be able to help me find out more about these scams are this person as im not fully aware of ip addresses n other ways of finding out if there from ghana??? im not close enough to ask her if she has sent any money and im sure she would deny it if this was the case.. thanx karen x
Hi
Been chatting to a US Soldier serving in Afghanistan. Met through internet dating site Match Affinity.com. He says he was widowed six years ago, wife died in car crash, and has two kids 16 and 18. seems very plausible and genuine and HAS not asked for money. However, he gives very little away and yesterday I found his email address on a scam website (although entry was 5 years old). I’ve used emailfinder.com (thanks for the hint) and tracked him to Richmond in the States. Then did IP search and that came up with Germany. feeling very confused as I so want him to be genuine. His name sounds baltic/polish but origins very obviously spanish/hispanic. Anyone have any advice ? I confronted him about the reference to him on the scam website and he was horrified and seemed genuinely upset and then angry. How can I be sure ????
hi has anyone heard of Sergant Major ANDERSON COOPER, ive been talking to him for 2 months, he approached me on match.com. he is supposed to be in karbul Afganistan, ive been wary of him for the last month. He is very loving says all the right words and said he is retiring on 31 August. He has a 14yr old son called Michael and a 17yr old daughter who died 2 years ago. Also he states that both is parents are dead and he also lost his brother in an accident. HE IS A SCAMMER. i found some of the photos he sent me on you tube under the name of PHILIP MILLER. He has not asked for any money yet and will not get any anyway. i have been waiting for him to come on line so i can tell the low life what i think of him. i feel sorry for the soldier whose identity he has stolen. Please be aware of him.
Well, ladies, I reported Mike Gales and Bola Silvas to the State Police, who in turn took all my information and papers I had. They told me it definitely was a scam and were glad I had not lost any money. I stopped all contact with these guys and changed all my accounts and screen name. We figured out that the military picture used was probably from Desrt Storm and the uniform was not a Leiuteant, but a Command Sgt. Major. So, it really was a scam. I am so glad to be rid of that. No more dating sites for me. Please be alert my friends, they are everywhere. thanks so much for the support.
Hi just wanted to publish another possible scam. I was contacted on a website earlier this week by and Aaron Ramos. Says he is doing radar training in Somerset England but will be going back to Kabul soon.
I did let him call me yesterday and his english is very broken. That tipped me off. Also he suddenly delelted the profile on the site right after I emailed him back. I told him I thought that was strange to spend money on a premium membership then delete the profile.
It just seemed to suspicious to me. So I have deleted him from my yahoo im and won’t answer calls if he trys to contact me again. This is the second time that someone has tried to scam me. Fortunately I have never sent money to them but have been asked to.
Good luck everyone.
BEWARE OF CAPTAIN PHIL HANNETT IN IRAQ; SUPPOSEDLY. HE TROLLS SENIORSMEET.COM AND ASKS FOR CELL PHONE, CAMERA AND CASH TO BE SENT TO HIM VIA IN CARE OF AN SUPPOSEDLY MILITARY DIPLOMAT BY THE NAME OF FORSON ADJALI. HE CLAIMS TO BE WIDOWED AND LOST ONE CHILD DUE TO CAR ACCIDENT AND HAS ANOTHER LIVE SON NAMED EUGENE (GENE) IN WEST AFRICA IN THE PEACE CORP. EVEN HA PICTURES OF HIM IN UNIFORM WITH NAME EMBROIDERED ON IT. VERY CONVINCING AND SMOOTH.
Beware of James Rellinger, aka James Brisbane Blair
Hi,
Seems like a lot of us are falling foul of some nasty people. I have been talking by email and collecting data from some jerk in Iraq. He goes by the name of Richard Gray. He is supposed to be 51 years old. I have just a few pictures from him. I did manage to get him to use a web cam briefly and he matched the pictures. But he still is a wierd one. He has the same story, parents deceased, young son who just happened to head of to Ghana, without any money, sure at 16 years old! Wife died 5 years ago, well 8 in another story.
Serving in the army in Iraq as an E6 commander, no military pictures, just a snap shot of a military ID card.
Played this one along and still am. Sent $30 to so called son in Ghana and put it in son’s name that he gave me, knowing full well that it wouldn’t get picked up. They replied asking for it to be sent in another name, I refused, told them that I had been red flagged by Western Union for using a false name and address on the shipping label, so coudn’t send any more money. Next trick, get a friend to send it. No, they are all away on school holidays. I tell him I’ll send cash, registered mail. He goes on for days ranting about it wouldn’t work. He sent me an email from Canada Post showing how I could send a money gram. I refused, I said cash or no deal. He stopped asking. (I was going to photocopy some $100 bills and send them if I had got an address)
Has conitnued to talk all sloppy and romantic. Now he is trying to send me a $1.5m to hold on to for when he gets out of Iraq. Gave me a diplomats email address and such. No such diplomat when I checked it out, phone number is from Iraq, but is a cell phone number. I am convinced that he is being both people, answering his diplomats email emails as well as previously his sons emails. Very crafty. Sounds like this Victor Haggard that some have run into.
Have contacted the RCMP and FINTRAC to warn them of this person, just encase he really is trying to ship the money illegaly, that’s if he has anything at all. Gave them all the info I have been collecting on him.
By the way terrible spelling and grammar, good warning sign. Didn’t even know that it was 94 degrees in Baghdad when I emailed him, he said it was cold where he was. I asked him how the penguins were and he didn’t get it.
Not sure how this one will end up, waiting to hear back from the police today.
Will put up further entry if there is an end to it. TAKE CARE LADIES.
I have also been scammed by this US Military scam, his name was Kenneth England, cant believe soooo many women have experienced this, cant believe these people are getting away with this. How are they getting so many photos of these guys, I really feel for these soldiers who are decent guys out there defending us. the US government should find these guys and string them up for the insult to their soldiers.to all you women BE CAREFUL, ASK QUESTIONS, and dont be so eager to give your heart away, listen to this……When you place your heart out there in the market place of life, some people will just look, some will try it on and through it to the ground, some will just trash it, so keep it safe and when the right person comes along they will ask for it specifically, they will pay a high price for it and treasure it for the rest of their lives.
hi all
have any of your ladies heard this name kenneth preston. he claimed he is a sergeant major in the us army since 2004, born in feb 18 1957. he got in touch with me thru my face book and well there is two kenneth preston in my face book and neither the picture look similar and he also e mail me his 2 pics but its just so small. This guy claimed he is my husband to be. hmmmm after what happened with me before, no way am gonna fall for it. i email CJ with photos of the previous guy who scammed me and am hoping that CJ would have receive it and maybe notify the real person that his pics been used to scam.
Hi everyone.
The real Gordon Hannett has been in touch with me after I found him and made contact. His matter is now with the FBI as he has been inundated with women who have been scammed. There is no such person as Richard Hannett and the real person is suffering from the theft of his identity. He is not in Iraq and the photo’s were stolen from a web album.
Cheers
Carol
to dale this is a scammer please wise up now
to linda be careful the tranfers may not be for real but the money will go out of your account and forwarded on please check before you do any more so called transfers.
Here is a P.S. to my post: Mike’s e-mail is lovingsoularmy@yaoo.com does this look familiar to anyone? thanks again Linda
i have been talking with a guy since january 2010 who is supposedly in iraq. his name is Lt Mike Gales. He has been in the service for 20 years and in iraq and afgahnistan for 5. He contacted me on match.com as a lonely army man looking for someone to fill his life with joy and happiness, etc. Well, I fell for this–hook, line, and sinker! But, the twist in my encounter is that he has NEVER asked me for money. I only had to receive money from women via moneygram and western union and then wire it to a Mr Bola Silvas in Nigeria–who is supposedly working for our government in that country trying to uncover and stop all the fraud that is going on there. mike is also working undercover supposedly maintaining the military data base at a secluded location with no phones or web cams. I have only talked to him via e-mail and instant messages in which he has told me he is coming home October 1 and will re-locate to be with me. He has sent me pictures-i feel so badly about this-not just for me, but for the poor legitimate army guys whose pictures he has stolen or used to meet me. Has anyone here ever heard of this man or Mr Silvas? Also, a Ken Desmond from the UK? he also tried to get with me on match.com, but i turned him away. why i didn’t the 2nd time, i don’t know. at least i am not out any money-i never sent a thing except the transfers from the other women who sent it to me. Does this all sound familiar to anyone? i so much appreciate the support and help. thank you
Hello,i am trying to find out if this guy i am chatting with is fake or real,he has sent me a few photos and is also on facebook,he is with the US Army,E-6 SRGT and also Commbat Engineer,he is currantly based in Afganistan for Special Operations,he is to Retire at the end of July,2010,i have been talking to him since march,2010,he wants to deliver a package to me ,but needs DIPLOMATE to do this ,through Western Union,,,i am not that computer savey,he does seem genuine,his name is Clark Hawkins,and the Diplomats name is George Parks,is anybody out there able to help me..im praying to god he is not a fake,,thank you
Be on the look out for christianrichardson37@yahoo.com & his diplomat suleymohammed@diplomats.com or suley.muohammed@yahoo.com.
I’ve got pictures, that I already forwarded to CJ, but it’s still not loaded, I know he works full time but he will get to it, but in the meantime someone else can get hooked to this scammers.
I’ve got over 200+ mails, poems, Love letters and a lot of proof of money I send in the passed 4 months.. .
What a fool I was!!
BE ALERT, THEY WORK FROM ACCRA GHANA AND COLLECT THE MONEY ALSO THERE!!!
Beware of Sgt Robert Davis via uk date sites I too was being sucked in by the attention i was given , has used all the same methods and sweet talk to try to get me to western union £230 for telecommunications. Luckly i have not parted with any money and he did bcome aggressive about me not sending any money threatened to kill himself if i did not send. Have blocked him on MSN but have since recieved a e-card ( do not open the file) and a message via e-mail to say he is missing me of which i have not answered.
PLEASE BE AWARE ITS ONLY THE ACTIONS OF MY FRIENDS THAT OPENED MY EYES TO THIS