Soldier impersonators target women in web scams

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Breitbart:

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Con artists are targeting women on Facebook in what's becoming an all-too-common ruse: They steal photos of soldiers to set up profiles, profess their love and devotion in sappy messages—and then ask their victims to cut a check.

Army Sgt. James Hursey, 26, discharged and sent home from war in Iraq to nurse a back injury, found a page with his photos on Facebook—on a profile that wasn't his. It was fake, set up by someone claiming to be an active-duty soldier looking for love.

Military officials say they've seen hundreds of similar cases in the past several years. Some of the impersonators have even used photos of soldiers who have died overseas.

"It's identity theft, really, if you think about it," said Hursey, of Corbin, Ky., a married father of a 2-year-old.

The impersonator using Hursey's photos portrayed himself as a soldier named "Sergent (sic) Mark Johnson." The fake followed the same steps every time: Send a friend request, immediately express undying love and affection, and ask for money.

The fake's cover was blown, though: Janice Robinson, 53, of Orlando, Fla., knew something wasn't right when the man professed his love to her and signed every message with, "Johnson cares." She had begun talking to him thinking he was one of several people named Mark Johnson that she knew.

"I said, 'How can you say you love me? You don't even know me. You are insane,'" she told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "... You could tell the guy in the picture was young. I'm 53 years old. You can look at my picture and tell I'm not 20."

Her story was first reported by WYMT-TV in Hazard, Ky., and WKMG-TV in Orlando.
________

There are some really low people out there. I'm surprised online fakery isn't considered more of a crime.

[pollyannaish]

Yes, there are some really low people out there. There are some pretty stupid women too. As much respect as I have for military members...they are just people. They have the same sets of problems, and there are the same jerks and idiots. A uniform does not guarantee character.

 

So any woman responding to any guy that professes his undying love via FB (or heck, face to face in half a second) is a huckster, uniform or not. So run! And for crying out loud, if a guy (or a gal) asks you to cut them a check...run FASTER!

 

The real victims of this are the young men who's identities are being stolen...even posthumously. That is identity theft and should be charged as such imo.

 

And may I also say that the perp was an idiot for trying to fool a woman like Janice. Please! You learn a few things by 53. Yay for us old gals!