Military romance scammer photos: how to spot a fake soldier profile
Quick answer
Romance scammers pose as service members using photos that belong to someone else. If a person you haven't met in person asks for money, it's a scam. Reverse image search the profile photo, stop contact, and report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
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How it works
Romance scammers create fake profiles on dating sites and apps, or contact you through social media such as Instagram or Facebook. The FTC says they strike up a relationship to build trust, sometimes chatting several times a day, then make up a story and ask for money.
The "soldier" profile is one of those stories. The FTC lists the military as a common reason they give for not being able to meet you, along with working on an oil rig, traveling abroad or working for an international organization. The photos are the part you can check: they belong to another person and are copied to make the profile look real.
Once you trust them, the requests start: medical bills, a plane ticket to visit you, a visa, or fees to get them out of trouble. They tell you how to pay, usually by wire transfer, gift card PIN codes, a money transfer app or cryptocurrency, because those are hard to reverse.
Red flags
- They say they can't meet in person because of the military, an oil rig or work abroad
- They want to move the chat off the dating app or social site quickly
- Declarations of love before you've met
- Money requests for medical bills, travel, a visa or to get out of trouble
- They tell you to pay by wire, gift card, money app or cryptocurrency
- A profile photo that shows up under a different name in a reverse image search
Example message
I'm a soldier on deployment and can't video call, the connection is too weak. I need help paying for my flight home to see you. Can you send it as gift cards? I'll pay you back, I promise.
What to do
- 1
Stop communicating
The FTC's first step is to stop talking to the person immediately. You don't owe them an explanation.
- 2
Check the photo
Run a reverse image search of the profile picture. If it appears under another name or with details that don't match, that's a sign of a scam. Searching the job plus the word "scammer", such as "US Army scammer", can also turn up similar stories.
- 3
Talk to someone you trust
Friends or family often see what you can't when you're invested. Tell them what's happening.
- 4
If you paid, contact the company or bank now
Whether you used a gift card, wire transfer, credit or debit card or cryptocurrency, tell the company or your bank you paid a scammer and ask for a refund.
- 5
Report the profile
Report it to the FTC and tell the site or app where you met them.
Report it
Check if your details are exposed with Serus
Scammers find your number and address on data brokers and people-search sites. Serus removes them.
Why you got it
Scammers don't pick numbers at random for the convincing ones. Names, phone numbers, addresses and email addresses are easy to buy from data brokers and look up on people-search sites, and breached databases circulate among scammers. Serus finds the data brokers and people-search sites that list you where you live and removes you from them, and alerts you when your details show up in a breach, so fewer scammers can reach you with a message that sounds personal. Our guides on data brokers and data breaches explain how it works.
Frequently asked
Do real service members ask for money to come home?
The FTC's guidance is blunt: never send money or gifts to a sweetheart you haven't met in person. Treat any such request from someone you only know online as a scam.
How do I check whether a photo is stolen?
Do a reverse image search of the profile picture. If the photo is tied to another name or details that don't match, it's a sign of a scam.
Is it only dating apps?
No. The FTC says scammers also contact people through social sites like Instagram and Facebook.
Can I get my money back?
Contact your bank or the payment company right away and report it to the FTC. Speed matters, and recovery isn't guaranteed.
Sources
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