Meeting new people online is a common way to form romantic connections and lasting friendships. Most conversations begins with good intentions and can even be a great way to relax. This is especially true for military service members stationed overseas that may have limited opportunities to socialize person to person.. Since they often can\u2019t leave the base, connecting online can help them build friendships or potential relationships for when they return home for a visit or take some leave. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Joining a dating app and matching an attractive person may seem harmless However, problems arise when a service member unknowingly engages with a catfish<\/a>, someone pretending to be someone else. What starts as an innocent conversation can escalate when the scammer manipulates the victim into sending compromising photos, which are then used for online blackmail<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sextortion<\/a> is a serious problem affecting servicemen, many of whom are unaware of its global reach. Criminal networks in countries like the Ivory Coast<\/a>, Nigeria<\/a> and the Philippines<\/a> run sophisticated scams that specifically target active-duty military personnel. The main target of these scams are younger servicemen in their 20\u2019s, who may be more vulnerable due to inexperience and a lack of awareness about such threats. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When it comes to servicemen in the military there are more implications and it is more complicated, since it can impact both the serviceperson, and could pose a threat to national security. This is why military sextortion is a major problem, as n individual who is currently deployed or on some type of assignment might have access to sensitive information, creating a scenario where the blackmailer can extort more than just money. They may even be forced to provide military secrets to avoid being exposed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n