Author:
• Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.
Article Abstract
Scammers are increasingly exploiting trust by impersonating military personnel, luring victims into a variety of scams, including romance scams and financial fraud. However, a troubling new twist has emerged: scammers offering victims purported military employment, promising lucrative salaries and allowing victims to keep a portion of the funds sent to them.
This scheme involves victims unwittingly becoming money mules and being paid a commission or salary, facilitating money laundering and exposing themselves to legal repercussions. Victims of these scams face devastating financial and emotional consequences, compounded by the risk of prosecution.
To combat these scams, individuals must exercise vigilance and skepticism online, verifying the legitimacy of offers and refraining from divulging personal information or engaging in financial transactions. Additionally, verifying military service claims with relevant U.S. Military law enforcement agencies is a critical step to avoid falling victim to impersonation scams.
The Exploitation of Trust: Scammers Targeting Scam Victims with Military Impersonation Scam Tactics to Convert them into Money Mules
One of the favorite scam types that scammers use is Military Impersonation. However, a new variation of the fake soldier scam has emerged that facilitates money movement and places the victims in legal jeopardy.
Of course, we all know of scammers impersonating members of the military to lure unsuspecting victims into various scams, ranging from romance scams to financial fraud, a new approach can be especially problematic for scam victims. This new and disturbing evolution that has emerged recently has scammers enticing individuals with promises of employment from the military, offering lucrative salaries based on commission, letting scam victims keep a portion of the funds that the ‘military’ sends to them.
There is one big problem with this, not only is it a scam but it puts the victim in a position to profit from the funds that the criminals are sending through the victim making them a willing money mule and subject to prosecution.
Fake Soldier Scams
As awareness of traditional military romance scams has increased, scammers have adapted their tactics to ensnare victims through alternative means. In this new approach, some perpetrators now claim to offer employment opportunities for the military to their victims, enticing individuals with promises of lucrative revenues or as a means of paying the victims back for the money they have previously given. These fraudulent job offers involve positions that require no qualifications or prior experience, the victim just has to move amounts of money and keep a percentage for themselves.
Unbeknownst to the victim, these transactions are part of an elaborate money laundering scheme orchestrated by the scammers. The funds transferred to the victim’s account are stolen from other scam victims or obtained through other illicit means, and the victim unwittingly becomes a pawn in the criminal enterprise and is subject to prosecution because of it. By redirecting the funds to themselves, the victim unknowingly facilitates the laundering of money, shielding the true origins of the illicit proceeds and complicating law enforcement efforts to apprehend the perpetrators. But because of their ‘profit’ or percentage that they keep they become a full accomplice.
The consequences of falling victim to these military impersonation money movement scams can be devastating, both financially, emotionally, and legally. Many victims experience profound feelings of betrayal and shame upon discovering the true nature of the scam, compounded by the loss of their own hard-earned savings or accumulated debt resulting from fraudulent transactions, but worse still is the high probability that they can face prosecution unless they act quickly to report the crimes.
Reminder
Cybercriminals frequently impersonate U.S. military member identities to gain the trust and confidence of their victims. Once such confidence is gained, cybercriminals increase their chances of successfully defrauding victims due to the added emotional connection and patriotism that is often elicited. These types of scams are commonly referred to as “trust-based relationship scams,” including so-called Romance scams, Investment scams, and Money Movement/Money Laundering in which the criminal uses falsified identities to initiate the trust relationships. To facilitate these types of scams, cybercriminals often impersonate U.S. military members.
To Avoid This Scams
To combat these military impersonation money movement scams, victims need to be especially careful about anyone online offering employment that involves poorly defined jobs that just involve the movement of money.
As with avoiding all scams, vigilance and skepticism are paramount when engaging in online interactions, particularly with individuals claiming affiliation with the military or offering employment opportunities. Verifying the legitimacy of individuals and organizations through independent research and corroborating information from trusted sources can help mitigate the risk of falling victim to fraudulent schemes. Furthermore, exercising caution when divulging personal information or engaging in financial transactions online can prevent exploitation by malicious actors seeking to exploit trust for nefarious purposes.
How to Verify if Someone is Serving in the United States Military
Anyone is the United States Military Services will have records that can be verified. However, for the average person that is not an easy process. Therefore we recommend that anyone who wants to verify someone claiming to be active military, especially stations in other countries should contact the various law enforcement agencies within the military.
U.S. military law enforcement are both very aware of these impersonation scams and can confirm if the information a victim receives is valid or not. Contact the agency for the branch of service you want to verify.
When you contact them, we recommend that you call – do not just send email.
U.S. Army
Anyone claiming to be in the U.S. Army will have records that can be verified by Army CID (Criminal Investigation Division)
Click here to find the U.S. Army CID offices and contact information.
U.S. Navy & Marine Corps
Anyone claiming to be in the U.S. Navy will have records that can be verified by Navy NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Service)
Click here to find the U.S. Navy NCIS offices and contact information.
U.S. Air Force & Space Force
Anyone claiming to be in the U.S. Air Force will have records that can be verified by Air Force OSI (Office of Special Investigations)
Click here to find the U.S. Air Force OSI contact information.
U.S. Coast Guard
Anyone claiming to be in the U.S. Coast Guard will have records that can be verified by Coast Guard CGIS (Coast Guard Investigative Service)
Click here to find the U.S. Coast Guard CGIS contact information.
Important Information for New Scam Victims
- See more at www.ScamVictimsSupport.org – a SCARS Website for New Scam Victims
- New Scam Victims – the Importance of Starting Off Right
- SCARS 3 Step Scam Victims Support & Recovery Program
- Importance Of Learning In Scam Victims’ Recovery From Scams
- For New Scam Victims – Additional & Essential Information
More About Military Impersonation Scams:
- Military Impersonation Scams – Article Catalog
- Money Mules – Article Catalog 2023/2024 (romancescamsnow.com)
- SCARS Webinar: Romance Scams #1 – Pig Butchering Fraud & Military Impersonation Fraud [VIDEO]
- United States Military ID Cards: How To Spot Fakes
- U.S. Department of Defense Military Social Media Use Policy: 2022
SCARS Resources:
- Getting Started Right: ScamVictimsSupport.org
- For New Victims of Relationship Scams newvictim.AgainstScams.org
- Subscribe to SCARS Newsletter newsletter.againstscams.org
- Sign up for SCARS professional support & recovery groups, visit support.AgainstScams.org
- Join our Scam Survivors United Chat & Discussion Group facebook.com/groups/scam.survivors.united
- Find competent trauma counselors or therapists, visit counseling.AgainstScams.org
- Become a SCARS Member and get free counseling benefits, visit membership.AgainstScams.org
- Report each and every crime, learn how to at reporting.AgainstScams.org
- Learn more about Scams & Scammers at RomanceScamsNOW.com and ScamsNOW.com
- Scammer photos ScammerPhotos.com
- SCARS Videos youtube.AgainstScams.org
- Self-Help Books for Scam Victims are at shop.AgainstScams.org
- Donate to SCARS and help us help others at donate.AgainstScams.org
- Worldwide Crisis Hotlines: https://blog.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines/
Other Cyber Resources
- Block Scam Domains: Quad9.net
- Global Cyber Alliance ACT Cybersecurity Tool Website: Actionable Cybersecurity Tools (ACT) (globalcyberalliance.org) https://act.globalcyberalliance.org/index.php/Actionable_Cybersecurity_Tools_(ACT)_-_Simplified_Cybersecurity_Protection
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