Report a
military romance scam.
"I'm a U.S. soldier deployed overseas and I need help with..." — Military romance scams use stolen photos of real service members to build fake relationships. The scammer claims to be deployed, which conveniently explains why they can't meet or video chat. They build emotional connections over weeks, then ask for money for leave, phone cards, or medical bills. Real soldiers never need your money.
Quick military scam report
Expose the fake identity. Include their username and any photos they shared. Use the full report builder
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How military romance scams work — stolen valor, real money
Military romance scams are one of the most prevalent and emotionally devastating subsets of romance fraud. Scammers steal photos of real U.S. service members from social media — often soldiers in dress uniforms or in overseas deployment settings — and create fake dating profiles. The military persona provides a built-in excuse for every red flag: can't meet in person (deployed), can't video call (security restrictions), needs financial help (military bureaucracy).
The scammer builds a romantic relationship over weeks or months, then introduces financial requests. Common stories include needing money for "military leave papers," a satellite phone to stay in touch, medical treatment for an injury, or transportation to come home. None of these are real military expenses. The U.S. military provides all equipment, medical care, and leave to service members at no cost. A real soldier will never ask a romantic interest for money.
Key facts about real military service
There is no fee to go on leave. The military does not charge soldiers for leave paperwork. Soldiers are not charged for internet or phone access. Most deployment locations have free WiFi and phone access. Military email addresses end in .mil — any soldier using only a Gmail or Yahoo account for official communication is suspicious.There is no such thing as paying to retire or leave the military early. If someone asks for money for any of these things, they are a scammer.
How to verify a military identity
Do a reverse image search on Google or Social Catfish with any photos they've sent. The stolen photos almost always trace back to a real soldier's public social media profile. You can report the impersonation to the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) at cid.army.mil. If the person claims a specific unit or base, call that base's public affairs office to verify. And remember the golden rule: never send money to someone you've never met in person.
Where else to report
File in multiple places to maximize impact:
- →U.S. Army CID — cid.army.mil — report impersonation of U.S. Army personnel
- →FBI IC3 — ic3.gov — for romance fraud reports involving financial loss
- →Social Catfish — socialcatfish.com — reverse image search to identify stolen military photos
- →FTC — reportfraud.ftc.gov — for consumer fraud pattern tracking
Related scam types
Scammers often combine tactics. If this looks familiar, check these too: