I think a U.S. Marine’s profile pics are being stolen on Facebook and Instagram. I’m not sure if the Marine even knows, but someone’s using his photos, including one of his 9-year-old son. This person claims to be a Lt Colonel stationed in Ukraine doing peacekeeping, but IDK… everything seems off. They’ve asked me for $1,500 in Bitcoin for a software upgrade, and when I heard a Nigerian accent on a call, I shut it down. Is there a way to track down the real Marine to make sure he’s not being used in a scam? I’m worried about him and his son. Any ideas on how to check if this guy is legit? I just want to know if he’s being scammed too. Thanks for any help!
Whoa, that sounds super sketchy! Definitely sounds like a scam. If the military ID isn’t matching up and he’s giving excuses, it’s probably not legit. Have you tried reverse image searching the pics?
Dakota said:
Whoa, that sounds super sketchy! Definitely sounds like a scam. If the military ID isn’t matching up and he’s giving excuses, it’s probably not legit. Have you tried reverse image searching the pics?
Yeah, reverse image search could help a lot! That way you could see if those photos are used anywhere else online.
Dakota said:
Whoa, that sounds super sketchy! Definitely sounds like a scam. If the military ID isn’t matching up and he’s giving excuses, it’s probably not legit. Have you tried reverse image searching the pics?
Exactly! There are tons of apps and websites to do that for free. Worth a shot!
Yikes, that’s terrifying. Honestly, I’d report this to Facebook and Instagram, they can help shut down fake profiles. Also, I think you could try contacting the military directly if you’re worried about the real Marine.
@Tate
Good point! I didn’t even think about reporting it to the social media sites. They could take the profile down pretty fast.
I had a similar thing happen with someone using a fake army profile. It’s definitely worth contacting law enforcement, but they might also refer you to the military if it’s involving stolen images.
Campbell said:
I had a similar thing happen with someone using a fake army profile. It’s definitely worth contacting law enforcement, but they might also refer you to the military if it’s involving stolen images.
Thanks for the suggestion! I’m trying to figure out where to report this. Should I go to local police or military authorities?
Campbell said:
I had a similar thing happen with someone using a fake army profile. It’s definitely worth contacting law enforcement, but they might also refer you to the military if it’s involving stolen images.
I’d go to local law enforcement first, they can help guide you through the next steps. You can also reach out to the Department of Defense, they might be able to help verify the person’s identity.
Sorry you’re dealing with this! It’s definitely a red flag if he’s asking for Bitcoin for a ‘software upgrade’… that’s a huge scam warning. Please be careful.
Jai said:
Sorry you’re dealing with this! It’s definitely a red flag if he’s asking for Bitcoin for a ‘software upgrade’… that’s a huge scam warning. Please be careful.
I know, right? I didn’t even entertain the Bitcoin request. I’ve seen way too many Dateline stories to fall for this.
Honestly, I think the Marine’s pictures are being used to scam people. He might not even know his identity is being stolen. You could try contacting military lawyers or online scam resources to help trace the real guy. Good luck!
@Rin
I’m hoping the real Marine finds out what’s going on. I don’t want him to get caught up in this mess too.