Military Romance Scam: Fake US Army Leave Permit Requests (2026)

[AlanJones]

I don't have access to Skype. If he is claiming that his name is "Gold Smith" then that confirms that he is a scammer as it is a typical made up scammer name and not one that someone in the US is likely to have.

Also "gold smith" is not a Skype ID - they have no spaces in them. Please post his actual Skype ID.

Please also post examples of the early mails and messages he has snet you - the language used in those will likely show that he is not American.

[YenLe]

Hi AlanJones,

His skype is snowguy22 and his yaoo id is snowguy_22 also.
And here are what he typed to me.

[9/24/2015 11:11:20 PM] gold smith: really she need care and love of her mom
[9/24/2015 11:11:25 PM] xxx: And I let her taking medicine
[9/24/2015 11:11:30 PM] xxx: Yes hon
[9/24/2015 11:11:33 PM] gold smith: its k
[9/24/2015 11:11:44 PM] xxx: And I also need your love and your caring too
[9/24/2015 11:11:59 PM] gold smith: i will love u more hon
[9/24/2015 11:12:18 PM] xxx: I told with my colleague about you
[9/24/2015 11:12:27 PM] gold smith: ohh really my love
[9/24/2015 11:12:30 PM] xxx: And she said that how nice you are
[9/24/2015 11:12:38 PM] xxx: Yes hon
[9/24/2015 11:12:38 PM] gold smith: thanks my love u too
[9/24/2015 11:13:08 PM] xxx: And she advised me not make you sad
[9/24/2015 11:13:23 PM] gold smith: thanks my love

[10/21/2015 1:23:13 AM] xxx: I couldnt sleep well with this state of mind
[10/21/2015 1:23:44 AM] xxx: Thanks anyway
[10/22/2015 5:01:42 PM] gold smith: hon dont u think that i leave u but i only love u
[10/22/2015 5:02:01 PM] gold smith: but its im not online coz of no net work
[10/22/2015 5:02:16 PM] gold smith: i love u alots and missed u too

Everytime he talked with me, he usually asked about my kids. He was interested in them and care of them alot. And he has the time very regular activities such as time for exercise at 6am, after 1 hour he was back and talked with me a few mints and then he was ready for breakfast at 7.30am. After finishing breakfast, he was back and talked with me again around 1 hour and then he said he need to work at 8-8.30am ( Los Angeles time - his hour from my time is 3 hours) . I asked about his job activities and he answered that his job is very hard and taught. I asked more and he answered that he is a trainer to new comer as an officer. He said he will go home for leave this December and he will come to meet me this end of October. Maybe I asked him and doubted him a lot so he disappeared lolz. I didnt believe online love. I tried to believe him but I also always awake me not believe him so much. I come to this site to confirm that he is not like he talked. And if he is a scam, I will try to forget him and wont wait for him every my midnight.

Thanks & Best Regards,

I don't have access to Skype. If he is claiming that his name is "Gold Smith" then that confirms that he is a scammer as it is a typical made up scammer name and not one that someone in the US is likely to have.

Also "gold smith" is not a Skype ID - they have no spaces in them. Please post his actual Skype ID.

Please also post examples of the early mails and messages he has snet you - the language used in those will likely show that he is not American.

[YenLe]

Dear friends,

Thanks for your kind support. He is back to me. There was a storm in Los Angeles and the internet was cut off. He said that he will show cam anytime he will be back home. He asserted that people in the picture is his. I believe him in temporary. Well, good luck to me.

Thanks for your help.

Best Regards,

[YenLe]

Dear friends,

Thanks for your kind support. He is back to me. There was a storm in Los Angeles and the internet was cut off. He said that he will show cam anytime he will be back home. He asserted that people in the picture is his. I believe him in temporary. Well, good luck to me.

Thanks for your help.

Best Regards,

[Judge Dredd]

I have also been contacted by a Lt Garzi Mary Lake, who contacted me from US MilitarySingles.com, I have also found out, she is on www.Webdate.com.
email addy used is [email protected] and Skype is lt.garzi009
Emailed long email messages, English and grammer not the best, also supplied pics of her in uniform and advised in Afghanistan. So a scammer

Watch out for this person who calls herself Lt. GARZA MARY LAKE. Various contacts are: [email protected], [email protected], Skype: lt.garzi009, who wants me to fill in an application form: I am ....(my name)....... hereby applying for the casual leave of Lt. Garza Mary Lake of UN/UNA-MID. I shall take all the charges as my responsibility because I want to have a constant conversation with her as I am her future husband. I will be extremely grateful if you can grant my application. I am taking this opportunity because ' I really wanted to get to know her better and to see her personally'. I am to e-mail the application to: [email protected] and pay $650. I also received via Skype a photograph of her in uniform, as well as what looks like an official US Army I.D. OBVIOUSLY ALL STOLEN.

[elizabetharguett2012]

Hi helen,
He only use [email protected]

I I'm in communication with this person saying hi is in Afghanistan and needs request for leaving name captain mangold Williams his email [email protected]
Wanted to know if this person is real in the army and is not scamm.

[AlanJones]

Anyone claiming to be a soldier who asks you to request leave for him, pay for "secure communications" or receive items for him is a scammer. Leave and communications are not requested or paid for and the military do not communicate with real soldiers immediate family, let alone random strangers on the Internet.

Just delete the scammers emails and block him and don't respond to him any further. DO NOT tell him you know he is a scammer, he will just try and deny it and continue scamming you.

[asiansimpleton]

help met a supposedly army guy he's getting pushy with an army exit fee? i have his [mobike details since we talk on viber and i met him on meow. he seemed nice at first but with him saying i need to pay something and that I'm a single mom something didn't sound right

[AlanJones]

Read my post immediately above yours. He is a scammer. Just block him and do not respond to him any further. Do not accuse him of being a scammer, just disappear.

[Bryon Williams]

Military members do not pay for leave. They earn free leave each year. Also only the member can request leave through his chain of command. His wife, mother, children nor internet girlfriend can do this. Also they would never have contact with his chain of command.

Military members have access to their money. They also do not pay for phones, internet or medical.

Military provides all meals.

Please stop all contact with the scammer. If you confront him he will continue to lie.

Post his fake name, rank and email address. This will help other women avoid his scam.

This is a warning from the Army about this scam.
http://www.army.mil/article/130861/Army ... nce_scams/

QUANTICO, Va. (July 30, 2014) -- Special Agents from the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command, commonly known as CID, are once again warning internet users worldwide about cyber criminals involved in an online crime that CID has dubbed "the Romance Scam."

CID special agents continue to receive numerous reports from victims located around the world regarding various scams of persons impersonating U.S. Soldiers online. Victims are usually unsuspecting women, 30 to 55 years old, who believe they are romantically involved with an American Soldier, yet are being exploited and ultimately robbed, by perpetrators who strike from thousands of miles away.

"We cannot stress enough that people need to stop sending money to persons they meet on the internet and claim to be in the U.S. military," said Chris Grey, Army CID's spokesman.

"It is very troubling to hear these stories over and over again of people who have sent thousands of dollars to someone they have never met and sometimes have never even spoken to on the phone," Grey said.

The majority of the "romance scams," are being perpetrated on social media and dating-type websites where unsuspecting females are the main target.

The criminals are pretending to be U.S. servicemen, routinely serving in a combat zone. The perpetrators will often take the true rank and name of a U.S. Soldier who is honorably serving his country somewhere in the world, or has previously served and been honorably discharged, then marry that up with some photographs of a Soldier off the internet, and then build a false identity to begin prowling the internet for victims.

The scams often involve carefully worded romantic requests for money from the victim to purchase special laptop computers, international telephones, military leave papers, and transportation fees to be used by the fictitious "deployed Soldier" so their false relationship can continue. The scams include asking the victim to send money, often thousands of dollars at a time, to a third party address.

Once victims are hooked, the criminals continue their ruse.

"We've even seen instances where the perpetrators are asking the victims for money to purchase "leave papers" from the Army, help pay for medical expenses from combat wounds or help pay for their flight home so they can leave the war zone," said Grey.

These scams are outright theft and are a grave misrepresentation of the U.S. Army and the tremendous amount of support programs and mechanisms that exist for Soldiers today, especially those serving overseas, said Grey.

Along with the romance-type scams, CID has been receiving complaints from citizens worldwide that they have been the victims of other types of scams -- once again where a cyber crook is impersonating a U.S. service member. One version usually involves the sale of a vehicle; where the service member claims to be living overseas and has to quickly sell their vehicle because they are being sent to another duty station. After sending bogus information regarding the vehicle, the seller requests the buyer do a wire transfer to a third party to complete the purchase. When in reality, the entire exchange is a ruse for the crook to get the wire transfer and leave the buyer high and dry, with no vehicle.

Army CID continues to warn people to be very suspicious if they begin a relationship on the internet with someone claiming to be an American Soldier and within a matter of weeks, the alleged Soldier is asking for money, as well as discussing marriage.

The majority of these scams have a distinct pattern to them, explained Grey.

The perpetrators often tell the victims that their units do not have telephones or they are not allowed to make calls or they need money to "help keep the Army internet running." They often say they are widowers and raising a young child on their own to pull on the heartstrings of their victims.

"We've even seen where the criminals said that the Army won't allow the Soldier to access their personal bank accounts or credit cards," said Grey.

All lies, according to CID officials.

"These perpetrators, often from other countries, most notably from West African countries, are good at what they do and quite familiar with American culture, but the claims about the Army and its regulations are ridiculous," said Grey.

The Army reports that numerous very senior officers and enlisted Soldiers throughout the Army have had their identities stolen to be used in these scams.

To date, there have been no reports to Army CID indicating any U.S. service members have suffered any financial loss as a result of these attacks. Photographs and actual names of U.S. service members have been the only thing utilized. On the contrary, the victims have lost thousands.

One victim revealed that she had sent more than $60,000 to the scammer. Another victim from Great Britain told CID officials that over the course of a year, she had sent more than $75,000 to the con artists.

"The criminals are preying on the emotions and patriotism of their victims," added Grey.

The U.S. has established numerous task force organizations to deal with this and other growing issues; unfortunately, the people committing these scams are using untraceable email addresses on Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc., routing accounts through numerous locations around the world, and utilizing pay-per-hour Internet cyber cafes, which often times maintain no accountability of use. The ability of law enforcement to identify these perpetrators is very limited, so individuals must stay on the alert and be personally responsible to protect themselves.

"Another critical issue is we don't want victims who do not report this crime walking away and thinking that a U.S. serviceman has ripped them off when in fact that serviceman is honorably serving his country and often not even aware that his pictures or identity have been stolen," said Grey.

What to look for:

DON'T EVER SEND MONEY! Be extremely suspicious if you are asked for money for transportation costs, communication fees or marriage processing and medical fees.

Carefully check out the stories you are being told. If it sounds suspicious, there is a reason, it's routinely false -- trust your instincts.

If you do start an internet-based relationship with someone, check them out, research what they are telling you with someone who would know, such as a current or former service member.

Be very suspicious if you never get to actually speak with the person on the phone or are told you cannot write or receive letters in the mail. Servicemen and women serving overseas will often have an APO or FPO mailing address. Internet or not, service members always appreciate a letter in the mail.

Military members have an email address that end in ".mil." If the person you are speaking with cannot sent you at least one email from a ".mil" (that will be the very LAST part of the address and nothing after), then there is a high probability they are not in the military.

Many of the negative claims made about the military and the supposed lack of support and services provided to troops overseas are far from reality -- check the facts.

Be very suspicious if you are asked to send money or ship property to a third party or company. Often times the company exists, but has no idea or is not a part of the scam.

Be aware of common spelling, grammatical or language errors in the emails.

Be cognizant of foreign and regional accents that do not match the person's story.

WHERE TO GO FOR HELP

Report the theft to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) (FBI-NW3C Partnership) at http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx.

Report the theft to the Federal Trade Commission at http://www.ftc.gov/idtheft.

Your report helps law enforcement officials across the United States in their investigations.

Report the theft by phone at 1-877-ID-THEFT (438-4338) or TTY, 1-866-653-4261.

Report the theft by mail at the following address:

Identity Theft Clearinghouse
Federal Trade Commission
Washington, DC 20580

Report the fraud by email to the Federal Trade Commission on Nigerian Scams via at [email protected].

For more information on CID, visit http://www.cid.army.mil.

[legionlady14]

I am a former member of the u.s. military and know the leave you earn is a benefit. No one in the military has to pay for leave. Its a scam.

[IrishR4u]

I have been contacted by a person posing as Sgt James Stroud on Tinder. He is widowed with a 16 years old son away at boarding school supposedly. He wanted me to send $300 so he could have access to a satelitte phone. I questioned him about this and he said people abused it so they have people pay now. Here is his face book account: facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010669417105 .He also asked me to request leave which i thought was odd. I was researching this and my gut said something was not right. I found this site before I did anything stupid.

[debbie24]

Dear xxxxxxxx,
We got your mail and I want you to send us the following details about you, Your Name, Your address, Parent Information, Phone number, so that we can use the following information to open a file for you , we are in receipt of the mail and the content was clearly understood in respect of your husband Capt David Alex Wise who was presently stationed in Afghanistan for peace keeping mission, I will like you to know that we will begin the process of the Proxy Marriage as soon as you make the payment and the charges of this Marriage will cost you the total amount of 910 US dollars and you are to provide your bank account of where his marriage benefit will be coming to which is the total amount of 95,265 US dollars, you are to make the chages to begin the process to our General Accountant in Alaska as soon as possible via the information Stated below and you can also make the payment twice..
NOTE: we can have you married within 5 business days after payment of the processing

[Tim Atem]

^^^ Thank you for reporting the scammer. What email address did that email come from? How ridiculous, paying for marriage? There's no such thing in the military, that is a figment of the scammer's imagination.

[debbie24]

[email protected] is his email and mail came from SHIRLEY STINGLEY (all caps)