Introduction:
Scammers often hide behind respected professions — doctors, engineers, or soldiers. They know these roles trigger trust. This is the story of Mark, a 50-year-old divorced man from Finland, who believed he found love with a woman serving in the U.S. military.
The Story:
Mark met “Lisa” through Facebook. Her profile showed a beautiful woman in army uniform, stationed in Syria. She messaged him first, saying she admired his photography posts. Their conversation quickly turned personal.
Lisa said she was tired of war, and longed for a peaceful life with someone kind like Mark. She called him “her future” and sent him love letters and voice messages. Mark, lonely and flattered, felt like he had found someone special.
A month later, Lisa claimed she was trying to retire from the army early. But she needed to “pay a release fee” — around €3,000 — to get out of service. Mark, wanting to help the woman he cared about, transferred the money via Bitcoin.
Then came silence.
He later discovered that the real woman in the photos was a U.S. soldier whose identity had been stolen for multiple scams. Lisa had never existed.
Lesson Learned:
Even strong and intelligent people can fall victim to emotional manipulation. Scammers are skilled actors who use real photos and fake voices to make you believe. Always be skeptical when someone you’ve never met asks for money — especially in crypto. Real love doesn’t come with a price tag.