I was reading a story about US Soldiers and dating scams. Apparently there are some people on Facebook and on dating sites that impersonate US Soldiers and hit on single people.
The story attached to it appears pretty credible. The guy compliments you and then woos you - most of the time, the people being scammed were women. Looking for a partner. In my job I have seen it, some times the scam is for money. It could be for permanent residence in Canada. That may be hard in my case.
I had a profile on a dating site. It has been dead for a year, I haven't even gone on it. On the weekend while I was on the course I got an email via the site (I left it mostly in tact)
'Hello.Who says great smiles do not compliment good looks?Yous is a confirmation.You are a very goodlooking man and I would love to get to know you better.I am Gregory,a sergeant e-5 in the usarmy currently stationed in this wartorn city of kabul.It is really an experience being away from home and at the same time having to face the rigors of war but i believe we all have our own stories to tell.I am a very positive man with lots of love to share with the right one,please pardon me for barging on you,i come in peace.Yours sincerely,Gregory..
Here is my personal email address for more convenient conversation..'
So anyway, I answered and said thanks very much. If you saw his pic, you would too.
The conversation happened via email, I didn't go back and re-read the initial email, if I had I would have known something was up.
I had to put in the original email, as it is relevant. I figure it has to be true, other wise why say it.
The first question I asked him, was why he referred to himself as Gregory. It is his first name, I said the only one that calls me Gregory is my Mom, the bank and revenuers. I really got no answer.
In fact I got a lot of no answers to every question I asked. He always asked me to tell me more about myself.
The first couple of days were manic. Afghanistan is 12 hours ahed of us, so it is easy to figure out what time it is.
When I asked specific questions, I go no answers, like the temperature in Kabul right now. I was in Islamabad at this time of year, I know that it starts to warm up pretty good.
I asked what unit he was in, this was a BIG red flag and I should have known from all my reading. He said he was a Sergeant in the USMC. Go back to the original email. No Marine I have encountered would ever say he was in the US Army. The second red flag was more subtle, I asked how long he was in the Cops. He said 17 years and he is getting tired of it. He is 33 and his profile was entered in December 2011. That means he was 16 when he joined up. His birthday is in June.
I am looking back now and these two issues jump out at me. So yesterday we were sending emails back and forth and then he said he was going to bed and would email me later. Nothing came. I sent him a link to this blog, since he asked so many questions.
Today, I just did a search on Google on his name. a Yahoo website was shown as a result. This guy's name was right there - with sgt.
'If it is a person you met online, does not have a military email address, does not have a US mailing address and is asking you to do anything it isnt who he says he is. Also if he is the one the started it through Facebook or online dating service then that's another flag. Trace his IP. If it's too good to be true it probably is.'
OK - gay guys don't normally use their real name on an email address on a site like hotmail, gmail or live. Gave him the benefit of doubt, since he used his. Maybe he doesn't date or is naive.
The event that happened in Kandahar on the weekend was pretty big news and should have impacted this guy. He never mentioned anything. I know that soldiers are told not to disclose stuff. This guy just ignored any questions.
The site where I found his name says he is a Nigerian scammer and that sooner or later a request for an expensive phone, computer or something would come. It didn't come.
Maybe I am lucky.
I don't think if he was a Nigerian scammer that he could keep it up with a guy too long. Sooner or later the questions about sex would trip him up. This would happen before the money started to flow. I think his cover was blown on the women side so he switched to the men side.
I fell for it hook, line and sinker, but as I said. His lack of information was a key indicator. His wanting to leave a farm in Michigan and come live here was an issue, nobody is ready to do that after 10 emails. Even a soldier/marine in Afghanistan.
Kudos to him though, he knew how to get his foot in the door, he said in one of the first emails 'I have been here in Kabul since December of 2011 with the 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force on a special mission here in Afghanistan'.
This wording confused me, no American I know would use this phrasing 'It has been quite an experience being in this was zone with all the killings (sic)and warrings (sic) going on here and I feel ashamed to explain how scared and unhappy I seem to be here now even if I can't show it to my colleagues.'
The Marine Expeditionary force is on a special mission in Afghanistan, it is on their website.
I can see why people fall for it, for a couple of days I was happy as hell. Then reason and logic kicked in.
Rode the bike to work today, then went for a rip after work on the bike. Gym next.
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