The Silent Toll of Identity Theft Among Military Personnel: Why Real Soldiers Remain Resilient

When military personnel or veterans find their identities stolen and their images used in fraudulent activities, it's natural to question their reaction. In many cases, the victims might wonder if they should speak out or try to take action. However, the reality is often bleak and multifaceted.

The Legal and Practical Challenges

Many military personnel who fall victim to identity theft and image theft face significant challenges. One of the primary reasons they don't often react is the absence of legal recourse. Copyright theft is often perceived as a minor issue when compared to the much more severe crimes that are being perpetuated.

These crimes, such as human trafficking, financial fraud, and schemes carried out over extended periods, often occur in jurisdictions beyond the reach of civil courts in the victim's country. Even if the perpetrators can be identified, legal action can be complicated, if not impossible, to pursue.

Social Media Pitfalls

Honing in on social media, another common avenue for reporting identity theft, presents additional challenges. Shouting about the issue on social media might not be effective. Potential victims might not even see the message, and those who might be more likely to fall for the scam are typically not part of the intended demographic. Even if a sufficiently savvy user reports the scam, it's unlikely to prevent it from resurfacing.

A common approach is for victims to spread their name around as the real person in those photos. However, the scammers often create fake identities, and spreading incorrect information can actually harm the real person's reputation. Even if the correct information is communicated, the scammers can easily gather images from other sources.

The Current Approach

The current method used by official military websites to warn about military scammers is often the most effective. By providing generic warnings, military organizations can inform the public without overburdening their resources. Telling friends and family about the scam is perhaps the most useful thing a victim can do to raise awareness.

A Personal Perspective

This issue hits close to home for many. Take, for instance, a personal acquaintance who served in the military and is now working as a police officer. Despite having a large Instagram following, he often ignores calls for help with identity theft.
After multiple attempts to reach out to him, it became clear that he prioritizes maintaining his online persona for his followers over addressing his own security issues.

One challenge he faced was that the scammers did not use his real identity, instead opting for a fake one. His main online presence was on Instagram, and he could never independently report the fake profile on platforms like Hangouts, Twitter, and Facebook. This highlights the complexity of dealing with multifaceted fraud.

A Resilient Response

Military and veteran communities have developed a resilient mentality in the face of such challenges. While it might be frustrating to see repeated incidents of identity theft, many have learned that a reactive stance is often futile. Instead, focusing on preventive measures and educating others can create a stronger, more secure community.

Ultimately, it's crucial for individuals and organizations to remain vigilant and proactive in safeguarding personal information. By understanding the challenges and limitations, both victims and supporters can take steps to mitigate the damage caused by identity theft in military and veteran communities.