The soldier in a war zone dating scam has been around for a few years now but it’s surprising how many people dating online remain unaware of it.
Nigerian and Russian scammers have long used the old “I’m a civil engineer working in Nigeria or Russia …. oops I’ve been robbed/got sick/got a great business deal and need a financial loan” trick to scam money out of trusting people they meet online.
The serviceman scam stoops to an even deeper low, playing on people’s patriotism, sympathies and trust.
When it began the soldier scam usually said they were a soldier (from US or UK) serving in Iraq but as public popularity for the Iraq war dwindled Afghanistan became the war zone of choice.
This is how the scam works:
After registering with an online dating site the scammer uploads a photo of a soldier they have downloaded from a facebook page or army recruiting website and then copies and pastes a great profile writeup from a script.
They immediately send a short but friendly message to numerous women on the site introducing themselves and asking about the woman.
You reply, saying a little about yourself and asking about him.
When they respond they will give very little away about themselves, again responding to what you have told them and asking questions about you. They will also give an email or msn address where you can contact them offsite.
NB … the more you tell a stranger about yourself, particularly personal stories, the closer you feel to them because there is a bond of trust … scammers use this against you and the more you tell the more trust you show.
In their second or third email they will tell you they are a US or UK soldier serving in Afghanistan or Iraq … they say they hope that doesn’t scare you … and they have one child they are totally devoted to.
The story then varies depending on which script the scammer is working from …. either they are a widower or divorced …. sometimes their ex/deceased wife was a Nigerian, if so the child may have gone to stay with his ex/deceased wife’s mother in Nigeria while he is away at war, or else the child is with his own mother in UK or US while they are in Afghanistan (this depends wether they have contacts in the UK or US to channel the money through).
After they feel they have your trust and you are emotionally hooked (usually after declarations of love or commitment to a long term relationship) they will start to mention how worried they are because they’ve heard their child is sick. This can either be a gradual process or they will receive a call with the heartbreaking news while they are talking to you online or by phone.
Then the first request to borrow money will arrive to pay for emergency medical care for their child … obviously they can’t send money from Afghanistan, it’s a war zone but will pay you back as soon as they get home.
If you send money the requests will keep coming as their imaginary child gets sicker and the medical bills mount up … oh and don’t forget his dear old mother who has to stay in a hotel next to the hospital.
This scam is quite successful because you have a patriotic soldier putting life and limb on the line each day. One who has gone through heartbreak and tough times emotionally (showing his vulnerable side) and of course one that is totally committed to loving and caring for you for the rest of your life … they are exactly what you have been looking for, a real life knight in shining armour.
A professional woman in the UK was scammed out of £10,000 by this very type of scam …. please don’t fall for it.
My apologies to the genuine US soldier in the photo used in this article, I simply copied it from google images to show how easy it is and I hope the soldier in the picture (and his family) would understand my intention is simply to keep women safe by explaining how the soldier scam works.
September 15th, 2009 at 5:52 am
All a woman (or man) needs to keep in mind is when a virtual stranger asks you for money he/she only sees you as a walking wallet. No person who is legitimately interested in a relationship with another would ask for money so soon – they’d be worried about what that person would think and that they might blow it with them. The only time you should give/lend monies is when you’re in an actual committed relationship.
September 23rd, 2009 at 12:12 pm
That is very true Clark, unfortunately lonely people get swept away with the idea of falling in love and that tends to blind them to the obvious.
October 13th, 2009 at 10:11 am
i caint believe i think ive just been scammed by the soldier scam a little different story line to what ive read but he found me on line dateing said he was sgt in iraq we talked by internet every day and he stole my heart i did wonder why he never shared much about himself but always said it was confidential he then asked me to send money for a phone connection so we could talk i feel for that but did find it strange i had to send the money to a women in usa if he was in iraq but was told that was the representative 2 days later i was told the connection couldnt be done as i lived in a problem area i then got suspiciouse and started to look up things i emailed ts2 but never had reply i found woman on my space whom the money got sent to then he asked for a large amount of money telling me he could have leave but had to pay costs himself this is when i started looking up more and got peoples opinions which then felt a fool that i feel for this man but he did everything so good the photos the letter from commander and also a transit failcuity form i thankfully never sent any money that time but have still recieved email from him saying forget the money but need to build our love back i think to use a soldier deployed to scam someone is lower than low i caint believe someone would use this situation please could you tell me how to report this as dont want anyone else to fall for this im in england and ive done a trace on the emails through ip address for him and it says sunnyvale ca usa please help
October 14th, 2009 at 8:24 pm
Hi Lucy
Stop all communication with this person right now, delete them from your internet accounts.
I’m sorry you were chatting to a scammer and there is no need to feel like a fool, they are very good at what they do.
Service men and women overseas (both from the UK and USA) are provided with adequate communications systems and also means of withdrawing cash for their local needs. Anyone you chat to online that asks you for money ……. run away, they are a scammer.
Some scam groups work from the US and UK, with partners in places like Nigeria which could explain the ip address or they could be using a proxy ip address.
Unfortunately there is nothing the authorities can do but you can report the scammer here http://www.consumerfraudreporting.org/reporting.php and there are a number of romance scam websites you can post the scammers details, just google report romance scammers.
However, I am pleased you have realised this is a scam before you got in too deeply, these slimeballs have left some people deeply in debt and do they sleep well at night .. you can bet they do.
May 23rd, 2010 at 3:38 pm
I HAVE FALLEN VICTIM TO THE SOLDIER SCAM. HE MADE ALL THESE PROMISES AND I TOO HAVE TRACED THE IP ADDRESSES BACK TO SUNNYVALE CALIORNIA. IM NOT AS LUCKY AS U I SENT 1000 BRITISH POUNDS AND THEN WHEN HE STARTED ASKING FOR MONEY FOR BTA. I GOT LEARY. I LOOKED UP BTA AND FOUND OUT THAT THERE IS NO SUCH THING. I TOLD HIM THAT I KNEW HE WAS A SCAMMER AND THAT I WAS REPORTING ME AND HE THEN SENT ME PICS OF HIS SON FREDDIE WHOS MOM HAD DIED FOUR YEARS AGO AND HE WAS IN A BRITISH BOARDING SCHOOL WHILE HE WAS FINISHING HIS TOUR IN IRAQ. HE DESPERATELY NEEDED TO GET BACK TO THE STATES TO ASSIST TO HIS DECEASED MOTHERS AFFAIRS. AND BLAH BLAH BLAH. I HAVE TRIED TO BLOCK HIM BUT HE STILL TRIES TO TALK TO ME ALL THE TIME. BEWARE
June 12th, 2010 at 9:44 am
I had exactly the same experience, a soldier in iraq,who thought I was the bees knees!
I thought it was odd when he said he wanted to hear my voice and mentioned that I might have to pay to use a special phone line/connection to speak to him! I didn’t immediately think scammer…just that if some guy really liked me, why do I have to pay to speak to him! so I ceased all contact….and considering that he’d declared that he really really liked me, I haven’t heard a word since then. Luckily I’m a natural cynic, even If i was a bit slow on the uptake. I have had lots and lots of weird messages from chaps from abroad on the dating site(uk) DatingForParents, and question the site’s validity. I have tried, unsuccessfully now to shut down my account 3 times with them and each time I do I receive a several messages from guys abroad. Coincidence? I don’t think so! I have to say, I was brought up to think that if something seems to good to be true, it generally is!
June 12th, 2010 at 11:52 am
Hi Della
Thanks for your story and well done for being a cynic. This is typical of big dating sites, you might not get a message for 3 months but as soon as you cancel you are flooded with messages. They rely on the “what if” emotions we all feel … don’t fall for it, once you cancel don’t even try to open any messages that come through. You are also doing the right thing in posting on blogs about this website, hopefully others thinking of joining will see your comments on blogs such as this and avoid joining in the first place.
June 12th, 2010 at 7:21 pm
I have pasted one of the scam profiles i’ve received from the dating site DatingForParents. If i can stop anyone from being taken in…well that would be great. I did report it to the site, but they don’t respond, and they don’t seem to have any system to stop these things getting through. anyway please read this, I’ve seen several like this now, note the chaps name its ASHWORTH, but he has spelt his own name wrong!Also it’s quite obvious that English isn’t the first language here…I wish I could paste you the picture he used…wow he was ‘amazing’!
What I did on the site as i was having trouble getting off, and they were ignoring my messages…well I posted details of the scams on my profile.
As far as I know its still there and will be til sometime in July!
Hair colour Dark Brown
Eye colour Brown
Body type Average
Height 6′ 0 (1.83m)
Ethnicity White
Religion Christian
Education Degree
Industry Public sector/armed forces
Employment Employed
Income <£60,000
Drinking Light
Smoking Yes
Relationships Widowed
Have children Yes, not living at home
Want children Not sure
Housing – Not Given -
Chat Up Line:
love is reciprocal
Favourite Newspapers, Books or Magazines
daily mirror
Favourite Activities
READING AND WRITTING
Favourite Films or TV shows
24 hours
Want to visit
Egypt….. Germany…
Have visited
USA….. IRAQ…. UK….. AFGHANISTAN…. PAKISTAN…. HAITI.
Favourite Music
Rock
Favourite Sports
football
Description:
hi my name is Ahsworth im 45yrs, im outgoing, honest and hard working. Im looking for possible a relationship with the right woman. i have a son of 12yrs…My friends say I am goodhearted n funloving, some even call me wonder man.I like a challenge!! If you want to know more, send me word
Contact this match:
Subject:
Block this person from seeing my profile
Report this profile to customer services
June 13th, 2010 at 11:53 pm
In Reply to Della…Was his name Steven McCabe by chance with email address: stevenmccabe1@hotmail.com? Widowed 6 years ago and two teenage kids? Deployed in Iraq, needed phone top up so we could have contact… I refused as I didn’t know him. Then he wanted to take leave so we could meet..all within 5 days of speaking mind you. He told me I had to go through the procedure…to ask his SGT Williams for leave, helped me with an email so I would get the wording right, the whole thing stunk of a rat, which of course was going to cost me money. I had worked him out already a last week, but had to be sure. I believe your are in contact with the same guy! And good for you for seeing through him. I really think these so called dating sites need to control the validity of their members. This is the third time I have been contacted by some one like this in the last 3 months and all from so called reputed sites that I pay a fortune for to become a member of.
June 14th, 2010 at 11:31 am
Hi Abby
I would be very interested to know which sites you joined and where contacted by such people, as I am doing research on this very topic now. If you prefer not to say publicly just leave a post asking me to contact you and I can email you.
Thanks
Sally
June 14th, 2010 at 12:04 am
Della: Sorry he goes by the name of smillingfaces01 on the DatingForParents site same person though. It has already been confirmed to me he doesn’t exist in the US Air force.
June 14th, 2010 at 1:04 pm
hello Abby
the ‘soldier’ who contacted me was davidmonfils01@yahoo.co.uk
but I guess it is so easy to set up an account, it means absolutely nothing, he probably has hundreds on the go.
What was quite interesting was his story…which was an american service man, staioned in England, then sent out to Iraq. I think i realised really quickly he was a fraud, because the stories were so hilarious…mother of his child still in England, and then quite detailed accounts of the dangers of patrol, and some weird stuff about some military celebrations, all to add to the story!
what’s really horrible is that lonely people, people who are genuine, and trusting are such marvellous prey. Now I know what to look for, its so easy to spot these bloodsuckers. But yes initially I didn’t know. Unfortunately for the scamsters, they will never get a penny from me, no matter how needy I may be, nor how believing, or trusting, as I haven’t got any!
June 27th, 2010 at 4:20 pm
I think I have been scammed also by a man that tells me he is a SGT. in the US Army in Iraq. He approached me on Mate 1 dating site. His name is suppose to be Sgt. Mike Craver and his email address is mike_sgt_craver@yahoo.com He was very taken by my picture and was very romantic right from the beginning. He has emailed me several pictures of himself in army uniform, and is very good looking. When we first met he was to be coming home on May 29 and had been in the military for 15 yrs. and had enough and was going to retire when he got out. He was a widower with one grown adopted son. Supposedly from Florida City, FL and 52 yrs old. All the pictures he has sent me were of the same man and always in Army uniform. Where would he get all these pictures? He did ask me for money a couple of times, not alot and unfortunately I did send the money, even tho my mind was telling me not too. Since then he has continued to IM me daily and hasn’t asked for any more money, but in the last couple weeks I haven’t heard from him except once and tells me that that his connection is down over there and misses me so much. I have to admit that I am taken by this man, and have to somehow find out if he is for real or not. Oh, when May 29 came his leave was put off and he is still over there now, June 27. Does anyone know where I could look to find his pictures or what else I can do to check on him?
June 27th, 2010 at 6:16 pm
Hi Kathy
That email address is used on a profile in a Romanian dating site .. just put www before this URL and use google translate on the page
.sentimente.ro/profil/mike_sgt_craver.html
Scammers don’t always ask for big amounts. Remember that 90% of Nigerians (according to world statistics) live on $1 a day (accounting for currency conversion). So if you sent him $52 it is a small amount to you but to him it’s a years wages. Scammers will be chatting to lots of people at the same time and when they get a good “payer” on the hook they will concentrate on that person for some time. Some people will send thousands, this is enough to buy an apartment or car over there.
The pictures could be from anywhere, downloaded from Facebook or another social networking site, a military forum or website or even photos a scam victim has sent to his female love online.
It can be impossible to trace the pictures but you need to work out if his story really adds up. How much information has he sent about himself, actual checkable details? Have you traced his email headers right back to the source ip? Why is a soldier in Iraq using a yahoo account to email, when they have military accounts through secure servers?
I am British not American so their military might be different but I know in the UK it would be exceptionally rare for someone to join the army at the age of 37. Has he told you which unit he serves in? The unit can be checked online to see if they are currently deployed in Iraq.
Ask him to send you a recent picture of himself not in uniform .. my guess is he won’t be able to.
If you would like to send me any concrete information you have about him and a picture (through the Ask a Dating Question link at the very top of this blog) I will do some checking … no guarantees but I will certainly see what I can find.
My gut feeling is he is a scammer, purely based on the fact that he asked you for money, even if it was small amounts. Why on earth would a soldier need you to send him money, they have payroll clerks over there and he could borrow from a mate until payday or ask a family member to send money. He certainly wouldn’t ask a stranger online for help if he was genuine.
June 28th, 2010 at 3:21 am
I found a site for checking pictures you may have of your scammer or possible scammer. It is TinEye.com The continuely scan the web for pictures and can often times tell you where they came from. I had all the pictures of this man I have been chatting with since March on this site and none of them came up with anything else on the web. But I will keep checking. I hope he is on the up and up, but I have to be sure. Kathy
June 28th, 2010 at 11:16 am
Hi Kathy
Please don’t rely on Tineye, I have used pictures of myself which I know are on the web and run them through but they don’t show up .. so it’s not totally reliable.
July 2nd, 2010 at 9:36 am
I’m currently investigating one of these scams involving a Sgt Bruce Almberg of the USMC.
A very similar scam to what has occurred with a widower and a small child, expressions of love and refrences to his safety being in danger.
He has taken a victim for approx £16000 to pay for internet connection mobile phone top ups and ultimately an emergency leave application, which obviously didn`t occur.
The money for the leave application was sent out to addresses in New Mexico and Montana.
Just wondering if anyone has had any dealings with
ope_dele@yahoo.com
sgtalmberg@yahoo.com
ronal.w.usmarine@gmail.com
July 6th, 2010 at 5:27 pm
Abby & Della
Steven McCabe is also known as DavidWalker2@hotmail.com. Same story – widowed, 2 kids Linda & Mark. Asked me to send him 02 phone voucher numbers for a top up and also asked me to contact his Sargent Williams for leave permisison.
His emails were fantastic – made me fall very much in live with him. Found him on a British site parship.co.uk – warn others
July 6th, 2010 at 5:31 pm
sorry that should be davidwalker02@hotmail.com – let me know if oyu want photos – have a copy of his passport he scanned me when i asked for proof he was real.
July 7th, 2010 at 6:51 am
Sue, did he send you any pictures of himself in military uniform? The man I am talking with has sent me several pictures of himself in Army uniform, so I just wondered about that. It is very hard to tell if they are telling you the truth or not.
July 10th, 2010 at 1:29 am
Hi Gary I have been talking to the man you are investigating. He asked me to write to one of the email addresses you mention to request emergency leave for him. I did and was sent two forms to fill in and send back, i did this and received an email telling me i had to pay 2150 us dollers for a liberty pass card. I was already a little suspicious of him so decided to google him and found this page with your comment. I have not paid any money and dont intend to. He is still contacting me by email, msn and text message because i told him i cant afford the money. Have not let on that i know he is not who he says he is, if i can help with your investigation in any way please leave a message on here and i will contact you. Charmaine
July 11th, 2010 at 7:17 am
Kathy
see http://www.delphifaq.com/faq/male_scammers/f6748.shtml?p=0
see also http://www.soldiersperspective.us/2010/05/13/the-wall-of-shame/#comment-63099
Dump him and get out of it now
Report it to the police if you can
Good luck – if you need anything please ask
Sue
July 12th, 2010 at 12:03 pm
I has almost conned into parting with money to pay for a liberty pass card for a so called Dr George Walker, email address, dr.georgewalker04@hotmail.com. He was very charming and good at what he does. I became susupicious about having to pay to get him home and chekced out the facts. He claimed to work for the UNited Nations as an Orthopaedic Surgeon In Haiti…. Be careful.
July 14th, 2010 at 8:35 am
Has anyone any information on Major Ian Cypher currently in Kabul, on a very ‘special’ mission? He is also a German speaker.
He’s asked me for credit for his phone, then money for a phone call. He’s also asked me to apply as his ‘partner’ to get him some leave so he can meet me. I’ve refused, of course.
He sends pictures of an ordinary-looking man, but one is with his grandchild. I know they steal these photos from websites. He’s also sent photos of him as a young serviceman, but none of him in uniform now.
He knows that I think he’s a scammer and I’ve had one conversation on msn since I told him of my doubts. I didnt’ think I would hear from him again. He says he knows he’s been acting like a typical spammer but he’s been blinded by ‘love’!!!
I would be very grateful to have any information so I can stop wasting my time with him.
Thanks.
July 14th, 2010 at 9:08 am
Hi Portia
It is not unusual for scammers to be able to speak numerous languages, if you go to a holiday resort in Africa they can often speak 4 or 5 languages rather well.
Is he claiming to be British or American? Let me know and I’ll tell you how you can check if he’s genuine or not.
An Officer in the military who can’t afford a phone call … that’s a first!!
What does he mean apply as his partner .. for what? His leave from a ‘special’ mission LOL that is too funny. Sorry the army doesn’t work that way.
July 14th, 2010 at 9:01 am
Hello Portia. I’d say its a hundred percent certain this man is a scammer.No decent man asks for money, it really is as simple as that.
July 15th, 2010 at 12:28 am
Hi Sally. Thanks for the reply.
He claims he’s in the US army but lives in England. He was brought up (he says) in Bremen, Germany, with his mother and then they returned to the States.(father was American).
He says he’s been in the army for 40 years, yet on his profile he said he was only 54 going on 55. When I questioned this, he said he was in army school. I’ve saved several of his conversations on my PC and gone over them. There are a lot of errors in his English but not glaring ones. I’m an English teacher so I recognise English as a Second Language features.If he was American and lived in England for a long time, those errors wouldn’t exist.
He’s very clever though and has an answer for everything. Sometimes I think I’ve been having a conversation with different people because his tone changes. Sometimes the English is better than others.
About affording the phone call, he says they are not allowed to make phone calls without permission. I know this sounds pathetic. I’ve doubted him all along and it has really annoyed him that I wouldn’t ‘commit’ as he says. It’s only now when I’ve got tougher with the questions that he’s sent more photographs.
Last night I told him I was going on holiday and his tone changed quite a lot, then he said he had to go. I think he now knows he’s losing the contact with me especially as he won’t be able to ‘groom’ me for a couple of weeks.
Don’t worry. I’d no intention of ever sending money. My curiosity has got the better of me and I’ve been pursuing it because I want to satisfy myself that he’s a scammer. He has been very persuasive.
Thanks for your trouble. I’d like to know how I can check whether he’s genuine or not. However, I think there’ll be no more contact because he knows I’m on to him.
I’ve just received another message from someone else that looks suspicious too! What is it about my profile that attracts them? Is it my age? A stupid, lonely, older woman ripe for the picking?
Portia.
July 15th, 2010 at 11:57 pm
Hi Portia
It’s very possible you have been talking to different people. Scamming is actually a job over there, working in shifts.
Sorry but the comment about not allowed to make calls without permission is just bunkum. I asked whether he was UK or US army because the Uk are far more strict on what they provide to their soldiers and American army bases are like holiday camps. They even have McDonalds for their troops in war zones so no phone calls without permission is simply laughable, particularly for an Officer.
As it’s the US Army you are better asking US service people. Go to this forum and give them all the info you can, they are so friendly and helpful. Someone will offer to look at the pics and the insignia on his uniform will tell them which unit he is from and they can quickly check if that unit is currently on rotation in Afghanistan.
http://forums.military.com/1/OpenTopic?a=cfrm&s=78919038&f=56919758
It’s academic as you’re definately dealing with a scammer but it’s better to know than lie in bed at night and wonder “what if”.
I doubt there is anything on your profile that attracts scammers specifically, you are simply on a dating site that isn’t stopping them joining and they will send out emails to 50 plus women a day. My advice … join a different site which provides info about scammers and actively tries to stop them joining. If you want help finding one just tell me your country and your particular interests and I’ll have a look.
July 15th, 2010 at 7:50 pm
Been talking to a Sgt Bruce Almberg, u.s. marine. has a 5 year old son, widowed, but have 2 other email addresses, he has not asked for money but has for the leave thing, i have no money and would not send any anyway but am checking if he is real, 2 email addresses i have are sgtalmbergrbruce@rocketmail.com and sgtalmberg@live.com, is this the same guy you are investigating?? Any help you need please contact me. Deborah
July 16th, 2010 at 12:04 am
Hi Deborah
Yep that’s the scammer who is been investigated. Am emailing you now.
July 16th, 2010 at 12:19 am
Hi Sally and Deborah
i have also been talking to Sgt Bruce Almberg too and have had the same story about the son and his young wife dying of cancer. Have been talking to him for about 2-3 weeks but was suspisous of him quite early on. Anything i can do to help please contact me
Charmaine
July 16th, 2010 at 2:22 am
Hi Charmaine
Thanks for the comment and welcome to the ever expanding Sgt Almberg gang .. gee this guy gets about a bit.
Could you possibly use the “Ask a dating Question” link at the very top of this page and send me any info you have about him, including photos … will be interesting to see if this person uses the same pics for everyone. I will then try to trace where the pics came from.
July 16th, 2010 at 7:22 am
Hi again Sally. Thanks so much for your comments and help. It’s good to know that there are women out there who have knowledge of this scam and who sympathize with victims. I’ve tried posting on the military forum but one needs a US zip code to do it. I’m in the UK so it wouldn’t accept my British post code.
However, no more Mr Nice Guy from me. I’ll be ruthlessly dealing with any more suspicious ‘daters’ online. The new one I mentioned hasn’t come back to me because I said I didn’t want to use a messenger service. I read somewhere that they like to get off the site as soon as possible so they can’t be traced and blocked.
I hope this trend soon diminishes. There are a lot of far more vulnerable women out there who will fall for it and send money. It seems so obvious when you know! I was suspicious all along but there was a bit of me that wanted it to be true!! Silly old fool!
July 16th, 2010 at 7:42 am
Hi Portia
Sorry forgot to mention the zip code, I just looked one up and bunged that in and it worked fine (naughty I know but was a dire emergency at the time with a scam victim poised outside a bank). I think as long as you’re repsectful they’ll let you off with a light beating lol.
MESSENGER noooooooooo …. yes absolutely the first or second email will always ask you to go to Yahoo or such, don’t do it. Stay on the site and use their messaging system, it’s not as fast paced but much safer until you can be sure(ish) who you’re talking to.
I’m afraid the trend is massively on the increase, once someone finds a formula for getting bags of free money everyone wants on the band wagon but it’s up to us and people like us to stop the tide!!
July 16th, 2010 at 7:49 am
Thanks Sally. I’ll look a zip code up and see it it will be accepted. A friend’s who used to live in the States might still work.
Like I said, obvious once you know the pattern. This latest one even has a similar user name to the very first scammer who contacted me. The second clue was that he says he’s a businessman in London, yet his English isn’t so good!
The user names of the other two are: jakex6 and johnx6. Watch out ladies!
Best Wishes. Portia.
July 16th, 2010 at 4:53 pm
Hi sally and charmaine
I also was suspicious straight away but kinda interested to see how far would go, guess also a little hoping for real, Sally i have sent an email with some info but having problems sending the reat at moment will keep trying, i too have been talking to him for couple weeks. Would be interested to know who the person is in pictures, he is using a young boys picture on his msn also.
July 18th, 2010 at 12:03 am
Hi Deborah. That’s how they get to all of us; we hope it’s real. They prey on vulnerable women who are longing for a relationship. They flatter, give you loads of attention. It’s all very exciting, isn’t it? Your own special friend who wants to talk to you in the corner of the room, who gives you praise and unconditional love.
Not only that, they are doing a terrible job and could get injured or killed any minute! What heroes! That’s what the scamming scum rely on, our sympathy and our innate politeness, not wanting to ask too many questions. And when we ask those awkward questions, what do they do? Change the subject immediately, or tell you how much they want you, etc, etc. Oh dear, I feel such a fool. My only consolation is that I didn’t send any money.
And, I never gave my full consent either. He knew there was a doubt in my mind all along. I’m surprised he held on as long as he did. I’m so glad I wasted his time too! In fact, I enjoyed the game. But, I’m going to be a lot more careful in future.
Portia.
July 18th, 2010 at 10:08 am
Brilliant Portia
You have really understood how scammers operate, which means they will not be able to get to you again. Give everyone a chance but watch out for those tell tale signs.
July 18th, 2010 at 10:11 am
Thanks Sally. If I can help by giving anyone else advice then I will have gone some way to making up to myself for being so stupid!! The saying ‘there’s no fool like an old fool’ is very true!
Portia.
July 18th, 2010 at 11:14 pm
Hey Portia, do not feel a fool for believing what you were lead to believe, all humans, male or female have these fantasies of the perfect partner and that is what these scammers rely on. There are real genuine people out there also, it’s making sure they get our attention more.
July 24th, 2010 at 11:17 pm
I believe I have a scammer in touch with me through a dating site. Another one posing as a US Soldier based in baghdad. He asked for £250 via ts2 Western Union, which I refused. He managed to obtain a mobile phone while in Baghdad and is requesting top up vouchers to be sent, however he is calling me on the phone any chance the voucher is sent. Are the us soldiers not able to obtain credit for mobiles out there then.
Again this man does not appear to devulge to much information about himself and all pictures are in uniform.
I haven’t mentioned anything to him as yet, taking this as far as I can go. How can I find out if he is genuine. He lives both uk and states. He’s wfe died of drugs soon after he divorced her etc.
July 25th, 2010 at 11:49 am
Hi Sue
Sorry to disappoint you but he’s 100% scammer I can assure you. The US soldiers have McDonalds on bases out there so they would have no trouble getting mobile phone vouchers. They also have access to cash machines so can withdraw their wages. Any man that asks for money for travel, hospital bills, phone credit, BTA, etc is a scammer. Also, if I were to send you money I would do so from my bank account to yours, that way the transfer is insured but scammers use Western Union as it’s untraceable.
Please cut off all contact with this person and never send anyone you meet online money.
July 25th, 2010 at 4:03 pm
Thank you Sally. Would there be anyway would be able to find out if he is on the base, he has given me the full address.
I cannot believe this is going on. Thank you so much for your help.
How can he be traced through the messages I have received?
I did on two occasions obtain an O2 credit vouchers from over here and emailed the voucher numbers. How can they benefit from a voucher when they are using it to call you. Madness.
Kind regards
Sue
July 25th, 2010 at 8:04 pm
Hi Sue
I am sending you an email from my own account, hope that is ok and if not just put it in your spam tray.
July 25th, 2010 at 8:17 pm
Hi Sue
Have sent you an email from my private account so we can trace his emails etc.
There are two options with the mobile voucher. Either they sell the voucher and use an internet free call provider to call you (this would still show his mobile number on your phone) or they use the credit to call you and other victims, this is quite clever because victims are actually paying for him to scam other victims. Oh just thought of a third .. he can get you to send vouchers to a real army base, they would just be handed out to anyone as “support mail” if the addressee can’t be found and this establishes his genuine credentials for when he asks for money to be sent via Western Union.
July 25th, 2010 at 6:43 pm
think ive discovered another one. Goes in the name of carlos Amando, based in kabul, lives in the uk has 1 daughter. Sent me picks 2 in uniform 1 with his mum in civilian clothes, 1 with a dog and one of his daughter. Contacted me via dating for parents.
Has anyone heard of him
July 25th, 2010 at 7:26 pm
Hi Sally
Sorry to ask another question. Everytime I see something that may help others I just want to bring it to your attention. Which network is att.net. Is this another one scammers use.
Many thanks for all your help.
Sue
July 25th, 2010 at 8:03 pm
Hi Sue
att.net is AT&T, pretty much the same as having a yahoo or hotmail account. Regarding the sent from, we can deal with this via email ok.
July 26th, 2010 at 10:11 pm
Hi Sally
Thank you so much for your email. I have forwarded all relevant information to you. Lets see what outcome on this we receive. I am just so shocked at all this scamming going on, espcially to those genuine troops whose identity’s are being used. I find it quite disturbing.
July 26th, 2010 at 10:46 pm
I have sent further information and hope that helps Sally
July 27th, 2010 at 12:37 am
Hi Sally
I can’t thank you enough for all you have done for me. Please use any information from this clever scammer to help others.
Believe me, this is nothing compared to what i have been through, just only hope he suffers in life for what he has done (or whoever it is)
Did you ever find out which country the scammer was from?
Sally, thank you, thank you, thank you.
July 27th, 2010 at 3:04 am
Hi Sue
Thanks for sending all the information and yes he is definately a clever one so shall write a post soon on what makes him better than the others we usually see.
July 27th, 2010 at 9:44 pm
Hi Sally
Thank you once again for all the information.
Please write a post and use anything you can and feel will help.
I cannot believe such heartless using people.
All the best and you are doing a fantastic job.
Kindest regards
Sue
July 28th, 2010 at 7:19 pm
Oh my gosh!!!
I spoke with sgt Bruce Almberg, which I ve met on mate.com site. We chatted on yahoo and he saw me on the camera. When I asked him wjy I cant see him, he said, that they are not allowed to do that etc.Apparently he had been staying in Afghanistan, had a 5years old son and his wife died when pregnant with their second child. He asked me for a emergnecy leave, send the form. I first said- yes, but after that I realized that I would be really stupid to do that. And then they will sending me an emails saying, that If i wont pay they will send a police etc.
I cant believe it really happened….
July 28th, 2010 at 7:28 pm
That was a lucky escape Sabina and well done for going with gut instinct.
July 28th, 2010 at 7:40 pm
There is no low to which they will not sink. Scum not scam. Portia.
July 28th, 2010 at 7:46 pm
Sgt Bruce Almberg…..
I spoke with him, he tried to convince me to send him money for the emenrgency leave….
When I didnt agree he was frightening me va email: ronald ( etc. ) that he will send the police to catch me.
To day I added him again as my contact on yahoo and he said that he is still in afghan, he has got his son on the photo
oh my god…
July 28th, 2010 at 7:49 pm
i am chatting with him…
is there anything i can do to help to catch him?
why is he doing it?
July 29th, 2010 at 12:33 am
Hi Sabina
I’m afraid they are in countries where there are bigger issues than scammers, so there is no way to catch them. The best we can do is know they are scammers and keep them chatting for as long as we can, that way they leave someone alone who doesn’t know they are a scammer.
July 28th, 2010 at 7:52 pm
please keep me updated…
July 28th, 2010 at 10:07 pm
Hi Sally just wondering if you got the pics of Sgt Bruce Almberg that i sent you, if not let me know and i will resend them. Hope the info i have sent to you has been of some help
July 29th, 2010 at 12:34 am
Hi Charmaine
Yes I got them thanks, am busy writing some posts now but there are so many scammers to deal with at the moment it’s hard to keep up.
If anyone else has photos of “Sgt Almberg please can you let me know. Thanks
July 29th, 2010 at 2:46 am
I know sgt bruce almberg is not a scammer. As for who all these woman are. why don’t you tell us who you are and what you are doing on a site you think is run by a scammer? will contact his family now that you guys are trying to mess with his name .. You bunches of fools
July 30th, 2010 at 12:56 pm
Hi Joel
It’s great to hear that Sgt Almberg has family and friends …. so now he can borrow money from them instead if strange women he meets on the internet!!!!!
By the way I can see you have left comments in different names but they all come from the same ip address … silly really.
Of course there is a real Sgt Almberg somewhere but I doubt very much if he is in Afghanistan/Iraq and Ghana at the same time or if he is the type of man to scam money from women.
July 29th, 2010 at 6:34 am
Hi Sally
Could You please send me the photos of sgt Almberg?I will try to find some today and send it to you
July 30th, 2010 at 1:01 pm
Hi Sabina
I’m afraid I can’t share the various photo’s of Sgt Almberg until I receive them all and check they are of the same person. Please remember there is a real Sgt Almberg somewhere and it’s only fair we try to offer him as much privacy as possible while trying to put a stop to this particular scam. Thanks for your understanding.
July 29th, 2010 at 3:42 pm
i found some photos of sgt almberg so if anyone wants to see them please let me know
July 30th, 2010 at 12:59 pm
Have sent you an email from my private email account Sabina
July 30th, 2010 at 12:16 pm
just let you know…that sgt almberg is reading our posts…he wished me to burn in hell yesterday…
July 30th, 2010 at 1:03 pm
Hi Sabina
Scammers always get angry when caught out … someone will burn in hell and I guess a thief and conman is more likely than you to end up there.
If the REAL Sgt Almberg is reading these posts please will you use the Ask a Dating Question link at the very top of this page and drop me an email so we can establish how these scammers got hold of so many of your photos and personal details. Thanks.
July 31st, 2010 at 2:30 pm
hi to all that have been scammed by steven alejandro mccabe aka david alejandro walker, mike c wilson, rev terry william, charles lecain, smilingfaceroberts, alex roberts, col/sgt williams, major jeffery lingo, hank collins/matthew plus more names that I am still finding out but there either one man using these different names or friends of each other and working to scammed anyone that goes on the dating site, I was scooped by the dating site ZOOSK his profile is “dearestinlove” and they are working on different hours from the internet cafe they have there, as for the ip address they be stealing that for everyone that goes on the dating site, msn have told me that by ip address was be used in nigeria and I live in ny, that was goes by using the dating site,
follow up the
delphifaq.com, 101 datingscam soldierperspective.us and on facebook “stop the us army dating scam” and “scammers”
July 31st, 2010 at 3:04 pm
he have given me names in nigeria to pick up money from there ADESINA AJIBOLA, AKINALBI ANTHONY, REV TERRY WILLIAMS, FADEYI OLUWASEUN OMOLAJA,JACOB OLAMIDE, and his emails are as I know them stevenmccabe1@hhotmail.com, stevenmccabe01@yahoo.com, stevenmccabe36@yahoo.com, linda2luv2008@yahoo.com, rev.terrywilliams2yahoo.com, davidwalker02@hotmail.com, smccabe317@yahoo.com, march 17 says that is birthday and he 50 yrs
june 2009 I have been chatting with him on ZOOSK and then we started im each other, then he started to ask for things at first I was skeptic but somehow he had me convinced he was legit, but I got caught in the moment of someone to good to be real be in the love with him from a online scheme, but does he has a phone cause I have send it to him and we have chatted on the phone as well as texting to each other. I found out he is a scammer, as time went on I started to get emails for other women telling me that his a scammer, I started to investaged him and found out all this and I am sorry I should have know better
August 1st, 2010 at 3:09 am
Hi Mari
His profile is all over the web but it’s obvious from his written English that English is not his first language:
Hi to you my special someone,I’m Steven, A US Air Force officer, deployed to iraq. here in Baghdad, I’m new to all this online stuff, My mission here to find someone to be there for me, someone to share my heart with, I’m a devoted husband to be,Hardworking, Loivng and caring man, some do call me romantic, well all is good…So, I will like you to know this about me, I;m49yr old,only child to my parent, but now i have become an orphan, cos i lost them…(sad), i do marry for some years with 2kids,and lost my wife 6yrs ago so sad,own with my pet Smart(dog),I do live with my kids alone, and now i have realise that a home without a woman is not complete.. And i want to meet someone to be for me forever and ever, someone to share my heart with… who will be my guardian angel. that i will care for all the day of my life…I’m very surethat i have special surprise package from God to me, about being with someone, i need someone who believe LOVE IS REAL,BLIND,and NEVER DIES
He also uses capitals in the middle of sentences, punctuation in the wrong places and talks about God .. no offence intended to God or religious followers but scammers always talk about God in their profiles, which is ok on a religious dating site but a little odd otherwise.
August 1st, 2010 at 8:01 am
The first scammer to come my way, jakex6, sent me a very long screed about himself by email telling about his background in the military with a career path that had taken him to many educational institutions all over the States. However, his English was strangely poor for someone with such an impressive educational background! Luckily, I sussed him out fairly quickly, and suggested to him that it was difficult to trust people on the internet. He disappeared.
However, the next one to come along, Ian Cypher, had a much better standard of English. However, very few of them can use the conditional, ‘would’, ‘should’, etc. and say things like ‘I will love to know you’.
The third one was a male model look-alike who was supposed to live in Liverpool. However, he obviously didn’t know that to live in a ‘nice, gated community’ was not common in the Liverpool area. He was very reluctant to tell me where he was writing from and disappeared when I asked him to be more specific.
Keep it up, women and get rid of them!
August 1st, 2010 at 8:55 am
Well done Portia, keep it up. This is what everyone needs to do, ask a lot of questions and make them give specific answers. Check their English, everyone makes typing errors but do they always spell a word incorrectly, is their punctuation in the right places and do they use capital letters in the right places? These are all indicators that the persons first language is not English.
Also ask silly questions, the sort of things we would expect a Brit or Yank to understand, like the latest fashion trends, film actors, sport, politics …. and make obvious mistakes.
Here’s a couple of examples:
For US “soldiers” – What do you think of Obama and do you think the troops will come home sooner now we have a republican president?
For Brit “soldiers” – Now that we have a conservative/labour coilition do you think they will bring you home sooner?
Of course you would expect a reply to say lol you mean Obama has gone over to the other side …. or lol I bet Gordon Browns surprised to hear that … something that indicates they know you made a mistake.
August 1st, 2010 at 11:24 am
Sgt Almberg had been sending me a photos of him and also when I said I wont send him the money- he started sending me photos of dead soldiers. How crappy is that??Asking If I want the same happened to him.
He is definitely reading this posts, and maybe will change his names etc., but still we can trace him and let the other women know that someone like him exist.
August 1st, 2010 at 12:24 pm
That’s just sheer desperation Sabina, he knows the usual response of anger or sweet words will not get you to send money so now he is trying a new tactic to make you ask yourself “what if”.
Just keep posting the details and send me the pics he forwards to you, it all helps us trace where he stole the photos from.