Dear Ms. Vicki,
How can I find out if a person is actually in the military? My girlfriend met a guy on Facebook, and he's been asking her for money that he says he needs so he can afford to retire.
He says he's in the military and is in Libya on a secret mission. He even had her start two bank accounts for him. Now they're overdrawn, and she's more than $8,000 in the hole.
I've tried to tell her it's a scam lots of times, but she doesn't believe it. I have to find a way to prove to her it's really a scam.
-- Scam Sleuth
Dear Sleuth,
Oh my God! Tell your girlfriend to send me the money! I'm legit, and I can actually donate the money to a very reputable charity.
This is a scam! Are you telling me these overdrawn checking accounts are in your girlfriend's name? My question is, why is she involved with this man and why is she so hell-bent on having a relationship with him? These are questions you should be asking yourself because it sounds like she is involved, at least emotionally, with a man she has never met.
Related: Military Romance Scams: Are You a Target?
I wish I could get $5 for every letter like yours because I would be independently wealthy. People write to me with embarrassment and shame because their accounts have been wiped out and their homes vandalized because they give so much of their personal information to these criminals.
American service members don't write people asking for money to retire, or for any of the other reasons people have written to me about. Service members who are on secret missions don't announce that they're on secret missions.
Hopefully, you can convince your girlfriend to cut off all communication with this person. Her life could be in danger.
-- Ms. Vicki
Keep Up with the Ins and Outs of Military Life
For the latest military news and tips on military family benefits and more, subscribe to Military.com and have the information you need delivered directly to your inbox.
