U.S. Army issues warning about criminals swindling female victims byposing as soldiers

FORT BELVOIR, Va. – Carol Forsloff - Men are impersonating soldiers and preying on women for money, according to the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command as the organization provides specifics on these activities and how women need to be cautious of Internet scams.

These fellows promise true love, then ask for money.  It's when they do that, the Army says, the woman must be particularly careful. CID is receiving frequent reports, according to Army reports, from all parts of the world, about these scam artists who prey on women's emotion, leading to broken hearts and empty bank accounts.

“We are seeing a number of scams being perpetrated on the internet, especially on social, dating-type websites where females are the main target,” explained Chris Grey, Army CID’s spokesman. Many times these criminals pose as servicemen serving in the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan, preying on the sympathy of women.  They will often take the true name and rank of a soldier to do it. In these scams the phony soldiers ask for money, often thousands of dollars, and for it to be sent to a third party address. After the ruse is initiated, it is continued to the extent that some of the perpetrators ask victims for money to "purchase leave papers."