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Prison Inmates Catfished $560,000 Out of Military Service Members in Sextortion Scam, NCIS Says (gizmodo.com)

Hundreds of military service members reportedly got caught up in a sextortion scam run by prison inmates using cellphones, according to a release issued by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS). From a report: Military agents from multiple criminal investigation groups have served summons and issued warrants for arrests related to the scheme. According to the NCIS, South Carolina and North Carolina prison inmates, assisted by outside accomplices, sought out service members through dating sites and social media, then took on false identities, feigned romantic interest, and exchanged photos.

Once the inmates had successfully catfished their targets, they would then pose as the father of the fake persona, insisting their child was underage and that the target had therefore committed a crime by exchanging photos. In some situations, the "father" claimed he wouldn't press charges if the target gave him money. Sometimes the catfisher would pose as law enforcement requesting money for the family.

3 of 165 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Discharge them by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 4, Informative

    Did they intend to commit a crime, though -- i.e. did the fake dating profiles have a birth date that was over 18 years ago? This is basically an online variant of the old scam. Women gets a guy drunk, takes him home from a bar, they get naked. Random guy bursts in on them naked. Guy either pretends to be:

    (1) The woman's angry husband, who'll report the guy to his CO for adultery
    (2) An angry pimp demanding payment
    (3) The woman's father, and the woman is actually 16.
    (4) An undercover cop investigating a prostitution ring.

    Either way, some money changes hands and everyone is on their merry way.

  2. Re:This is why by hairyfeet · · Score: 3, Informative

    Actually I had a friend the cops tried to pin a statutory story on who met a girl at a bar, she had a fake ID. Judge took one look and tossed it out, still cost him lawyers fees.

    --
    ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.
  3. Re:More proof.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    that contempt is usually well earned and easy to understand how peoples view would improve at distance. I have lived near a military base and the lack of respect for the local community and property by those from the base was atrocious. It is actually something I would always look at in future to ensure a place I buy is not near a base.