Dear Ms. Vicki,
Hi, I hope you can help me because I didn't find the answer on the website. I met someone on a dating site, who says he is working for the US Air Force as a Master Sergeant and is currently in Afghanistan.
He says the deployment will be done by December. He seems very serious about the relationship; he calls from there using a Telstra Satellite Mobile Connect, and we chat using Yahoo messenger. But I don't know how to ask him [if he's for real].
You know we cannot trust too much and believe everything people say, that's why I searched in Military.com trying to find out if is true, and could not find him. Do you think that some military personnel are not on the list?
He also says that I have to send an email to his superiors asking for his leave, but maybe I have to help him with some money for the ticket because he has no money. I know many men lie, so I sending this email to you, as a woman, not as a member of the military community.
So please, if you think you can help me, I will be so happy to receive your answer.
Sincerely,
Be blessed
Dear Blessed,
I really hope that you did not send this guy any money. Obviously, this is a very popular scheme that's going around on dating sites where men are pretending to be in the armed forces. Only they need someone to send money so they can come home on leave. Moreover, that someone needs to speak to a commander so that he can be given permission to come home for leave.
This is where the "lies" are exposed.
There is no such thing -- if you are in the U.S. armed forces you would not have to speak to a commanding officer to get permission to leave, and you would not need money for travel. His travel should be paid for and he would not have to pay a dime.
I received a recent letter from a woman who spoke with a "so-called" commanding officer. He told her to send $2,500 so this person could get a plane ticket and be granted permission to leave. She sent the money and never heard from them again.
Here's the deal: Do not have any contact with this person again. Don't give them any more information about you, such as personal information like your address. Leave him alone, it's a SCAM! I hope you are okay.
Sincerely,
Ms. Vicki
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