RomanceScam - #CaptainThachRules - #NigerianScam - #419Scam -- #ArmyCID -- Special Agents from the #USArmy 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 (at The Pentagon)