How It Works
Scammers create profiles posing as armed forces officers — often using stolen photos of real soldiers — to appear trustworthy and patriotic. They build an online romance, then claim they need money for leave approval, equipment, medical treatment, or to ship a "gift" from a deployment location, exploiting the victim's admiration and trust.
Real Example
A profile claiming to be an army major stationed at the border builds a relationship over several weeks on a dating app, then says he needs money urgently for "leave processing fees" to finally meet in person — a meeting that never happens.
Red Flags 🚩
- Profile claims to be deployed at a remote or sensitive military location
- Avoids video calls, citing "security restrictions"
- Eventually requests money for leave, travel, or medical reasons
- Photos can often be found elsewhere online via reverse image search
Protection Steps 🛡️
- Real army personnel don't need money from strangers for leave or equipment.
- Reverse image search profile photos to check if they belong to someone else.
- Be skeptical of "security restriction" excuses for avoiding video calls.
- Report suspected fake profiles to the platform and to cybercrime authorities.