U.K. Soldier asking for help for special family leave permit

Hello,
I met "Captain Garces Ventura" on a dating web-site. He told me that he was an officer at the U.K. army and that he has being on a mission in Afganistan five years now.
He told me so many specific and special things to me ... and dumb me... fell for it...
We talked everyday so many things... He told me he wanted to marry me and make me the mother of his daughter (he is a widow, he´s wife died of cancer two years ago, and he was ready to look for a new opportunity in love)... Any ways, we talked for several weeks now. I had my cel phone on my hands always to be available for him whenever he was able to talk... because he is an "engineer" specialized in communications...bla bla bla bla...
Yesterday he was supposed to have a meeting with his "superior" ... because his superior realized how in-love he was with me and he wanted to give him the opportunity to meet me.
When I asked him how was the meeting... this is when I finaly realized that this was a huge scam... he told me that he´s superior had an alternative that he wasnt sure I was going to accept...
At that time and starting to have this bad feeling, so I asked him. His explanation was as follows:
His superior suggested him that I inpersonate his wife and send an e-mail to him asking for a special family leave. I asked him if this lie had no consequences to which he answered: NO
I was very reluctant to this, because I told him I felt very uncomfortable lying... all this took me by surprise because I always pictured him as a very rightious man. Anyways..then he explained to me that he needed me to send him 680 pounds (dond even have the "pounds" key on my keyboard)... and that´s where I started googling until I found this web page.... we were communicating by skype and via e-mails.
The worst thing were all those pictures he sent me were I could see his last name on his helmut!!!!!!!!!!

I am in Panama, Central America.
He told me he was raised and burn in London.
He was a one child. Hes parents died when he was five. Stayed on a foster house about six months until he was adopted by a very wealthy family.

These are some of the things that were a little weard for me, but never thought there were important:

1. The website where we met has GPS, and it said he was on England, however he kept saying he was at Camp Bastion, Helmund Province, Kabul, Afganistan.

2. The letters font on the e-mails vary (in the same e-mail)

3. For his level of education (he said he was an Electromechanical Engineer, with a Masters Degree on the University of Manchester... I mean at this level you must wright better than Shakespeare!!!)... well he´s english writting sometimes had mistakes that he shouldn´t have!

4. Also he´s english was too american to me... didn´t sound at all as british.

5. He was too damn perfect!!!!!!!!!

I'm sorry that you were scammed by this thief.

The scam you are describing is typical of an African scammer. These scammers often copy romantic poetry, letters, and even song lyrics from the internet in their letters and chats. Africans often don't know the difference between British and American English, so they don't recognize the discrepancies when they copy something written in the wrong English for the role they are playing.

The man in the photos has nothing to do with the scam. The scammer just stole his photos, most likely from a social networking or photo-sharing site, and chose a name that matched the one on the uniform.

These scammers often use the same emails over and over again. We refer to these emails as scripts, because that is essentially what they are. Posting some of the early emails, and the ones around the money requests (remove your own name/info first) can help others to recognize when they are being scammed, even after this scammer changes his fake name.

Please post the email address he used, as well as any email addresses he asked you to write to, as potential victims often search for email addresses.

Thank you for your reply Dotti,

He´s e-mail is: [email protected]
We talked on skype using this same e-mail. And his profile says: CaptGarcesVentura

Question: Is there any way you recommend so I can contact this person to warn him about this?

I´ve been looking his name, rank, army officers, etc... but have not being able to find anything

Rgds,
Gsilva

Something important that I almost forgot to mention: what about the pictures I sent him?
I mean they were not intimate or anything, but will they be using my pictures to scam other people?
I guess I just answered my question...

While scammers do sometimes reuse photos of victims, it is actually not very likely that he would reuse your photos in a romance scam. When these scammers are posing as females, the vast majority of them use photos of porn actresses or models with bikini or lingerie photos.

As far as warning the soldier goes, I wouldn't stress too much. Unfortunately, once a scammer has saved the photos to his computer or flash drive, there is no way for the real person to stop their use, even if they make their social networking pages private. All they can do is prevent the scammers from stealing any new photos.

It is actually pretty frustrating for the real person in the photos to know they are being misused but also know he can do nothing about it. If he doesn't know already (and he very possibly does) he is as likely to be unhappy if you approach him as not.

his profile on skype

Hello Grunt,
Thank you for your reply also.

His profile on skype is: captgarcesventura

You know, he is actualy sending me mails of how I hurt him because I never gave him a chance to explain himselfe. On how if the "tables were turned" and it was me asking for help he will never treat me this way.

It´s amazing how full of it he is!!!!!!

I deleted his skype account and erased all my information posted on my profile. Unfortunately, since he has my mail I guess he will continue sending me mails thinking that at some point Im gonna answer him... or until he gives up.

Rgds,
Gsilva

These are the e-mails that I have received since I realized of this scam:

I TRIED. I REALLY DID.

GARCES VENTURA
19 sep 2013

YES, FOR THE SECOND DAY RUNNING, YOU HAVE DECIDED NOT TO TALK TO ME!! I WILL NOT SAY THAT I KNOW IF YOU MISS ME, BUT I HAVE A FELLING YOU DO. I PROMISE NOT TO CONTACT YOU AGAIN AFTER THIS EMAIL AND I WILL INFACT, TRY AND ERASE YOUR EMAIL FROM MY MEMORY IF YOU STILL DO NOT TALK TO ME, BECAUSE YOU DO NOT SEEM TO EVEN CARE!!

YOU HURT ME SO BAD, YOU NEVER EVEN GAVE ME A CHANCE, I EVEN HAD TO PLEAD WITH A COLLEAGUE OF MINE AT THE MAIN SERVER ROOM IF HE WILL ALLOW ME TO US CAM THERE, EVEN IF IT IS FOR 5 SECS AND HE PROMISED TO HELP ME, IT IS A HUGE RISK AND I MAY LOSE ALL I HAVE WORKED FOR AND MY REPUTATION , BUT OHHH YES!! I WAS READY TO DO THAT!! JUST FOR WHAT?? YOU!!

I HONESTLY DO NOT BLAME YOU, AND I AM NOT ANGRY AT YOU BECAUSE YOU THINK OF ME AS SUCH, WHAT MAKES MY HEART BLEED IS THAT, IF THE TABLES WHERE TURNED, AND I WAS IN THAT BED AS YOU ARE NOW, AND YOU ARE CAMP AND THIS SITUATION IS THE SAME, I WILL NOT THROW YOU AWAY NO MATTER WHAT. I WILL GIVE YOU, EVEN IF IT IS JUST FOR A MINUTE TO SEE IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY,

THAT IS WHO I AM, I LOVE YOU AND I WILL ALWAYS WILL, I WILL KEEP MY PROMISE, NOT TO EVER CONTACT YOU AGAIN. IF YOU EVER MISS ME, JUST LOOK INTO DIEGO'S EYES,. SOMETHING TELLS ME MY EYES ARE THE SAME AS HIS. I AM JUST BACK FROM MY OFFICE, BUT SLEEP SEEMS TO BE AN ENEMY TO ME THESE PAST FEW DAYS. I WILL JUST GO TO THE GYM. I WILL NEVER FORGET YOU.

I MISS YOU

GARCES VENTURA
21 sep 2013

I wake and the first thing i see is your photo on my computer, even if i said i was not going to message you, i still do because i miss you, is this how we are going to end? i love you so much and my heart bleeds because i have lost you this way, but my head still do not want to accept it, have i really lost you??

We can forget about my exit permit and let us continue talking until fate decides for us to meet, please ________ (my name) , i miss you so much, i miss you in my life and i still don't want to accept it. come on skype and talk to me, my life is shattered. just tell me ''hi'' and i will be okay. please!!!

And this is the e-mail he sent me when I told him I realized everything was a lie:

THANK YOU FOR EVERY THING.

GARCES VENTURA
18 sep 2013

WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS??? THIS IS EXACTLY WHY I DID NOT WANT TO TELL YOU, BUT YOU INSISTED I TELL YOU, NOW YOU CALL ME A SCAM?? I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS, BUT I DO NOT BLAME YOU EITHER , BECAUSE THE WORLD THAT WE LIVE IN IS ONE THAT THE GOOD PEOPLE END UP WITH NOTHING AND THE BAD PEOPLE WILL ALWAYS WIN, YOU MEET A GOOD MAN AND YOU CALL HIM NAMES, NOT GIVING HIM A CHANCE TO DEFEND HIMSELF. I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU AND I WILL NEVER FORGET YOU,

I KNOW THAT YOUR FRIENDS DO NOT LIKE ME FROM THE BEGINNING AND THEY MUST HAVE ADVISED YOU ON THIS, BUT PLEASE, DO NOT CALL ME THAT BECAUSE I AM A WELL PAID MILITARY OFFICER AND I DO NOT NEED TO TAKE MONEY FROM ANY BODY. I GUESS I WAS BLINDED BY THE LOVE I HAD FOR YOU AND I WAS SO DESPERATE AND I WANTED TO BE WITH YOU SO BADLY . I AM SAD NOW ,

I SAW THIS COMING, THAT WAS WHY I DID NOT WANT TO TELL YOU, SO I AM NOT SURPRISED, I WILL MISS YOU SO MUCH AND SOMEDAY, WHEN I LEAVE HERE, I WILL COME LOOK FOR YOU, AT LEAST, TO SHOW YOU THAT YOU ARE ACCUSING ME FALSELY AND YOU NEVER GAVE ME EVEN THE SLIGHTEST CHANCE TO PROVE MYSELF,

I WOULD HAVE DONE ANYTHING TO PROVE MYSELF TO YOU, BUT, YOU NEVER GAVE ME A CHANCE, I GUESS MY NOW YOU HAVE REMOVED ME FROM YOUR SKYPE TOO, BUT I WANT YOU TO LEARN SOMETHING FROM ME, ( YOUR FRIENDS ARE ALWAYS THERE TO HELP, AND ADVICE , BUT THE ONE WITH THE FINAL DECISION IS YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE THAT KNOW WHAT YOU FEEL. )

I WILL NOT THINK TWICE IT THE TABLES WERE TURNED AND I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE WITH THE ONE I LOVE, I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU MY BRAZILIAN QUEEN AND I HOPE TO SEE YOU SOMEDAY, EVEN IF IT IS TO SAY HI, I AM IN MY OFFICE AND IT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE I CRIED!! I GUESS THAT IS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU.. HAVE A GOOD LIFE AND TAKE GOOD CARE OF THE BOYS. TELL HENRY WE ARE WINNING THE WAR AND I WILL SURELY SEE HIM SOMEDAY.

BUT IF YOU EVER MISS ME, YOU CAN ALWAYS WRITE ME, I WILL BE GLAD TO HEAR FROM YOU ANYTIME, I GUESS IT IS BACK TO MY LONELY LIFE, IT WAS FOR A SHORT TIME, BUT I WONT SAY I WAS NOT HAPPY, I WAS SO CERTAIN WE WERE MADE FOR EACH OTHER, AND I WILL NOT LOOK FOR ANY OTHER WOMAN , UNTIL I GET HOME, I AM NOT EVEN SURE IF THERE IS A WOMAN FOR ME AGAIN, HAVE A NICE LIFE GABY. AND DO NOT EVERY FORGET ME. GOODBYE AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.

He is still hoping that he can get money out of you.

If you stayed in contact with him, he would avoid asking for money for a while, in order to convince you that he really isn't after money. He would email you even more romantic letters and poems (mostly copied, of course) until he thinks you are in love and believing him again.

Then he would move on to a new and different money request, or he would try to use you as a mule, having you receive and forward money or packages. He would give you an explanation for why he has asked you to do it, but really he would just be using you to get his hand on money or items he stole from others.

Cutting off contact as you did is the best approach.

This is an e-mail he sent me yesterday. Everyday that passes by is more notorious that english is not his first language!!


I MISS YOU.

GARCES VENTURA
16:36 Sept 23

I AM LOOKING AT YOUR PHOTOS NOW,THE ONE YOU TOOK WITH THE BOYS.

I MISS YOU. CANT YOU COME AND TALK TO ME FOR JUST 5 MINUTES??

MY LIFE IS NOT THE SAME ABOUT YOU!!

MAYBE IT WAS EASY FOR YOU TO STOP LOVING ME, BUT I WILL NEVER STOP LOVING YOU.

I guess his trying to make me want him to answer that I´m ok... Oh! But how wrong is he!... hahahaha Im never answering any of his mails... just gonna keep posting them here so all of you can read how far can this person go.
Hope all this information helps others


Subject: take care.

GARCES VENTURA
16:49 Sept 24

I have a feeling you are not okay. please take good care of your self and always know that you are strong enough to overcome anything my love.. i will never forget you.

happy sunday

GARCES VENTURA
12:12 Sept 30,2013

my love, i have been able to do it, my friend says that i can use webcam today, but just for a few time, please come on skype. i really miss you my dear, it is a big risk, but i am willing to prove myself to you my dear.. please, after tonight, i may not get this opportunity again, please my love,.


______________________________________________________________________________________

I mean... really???
I guess that this would have been the order of events:

I log in and he will have "x" ammount of escuses of why he could not be able to connect, and I would not be able to see him.

I am sure of this, because he cannot show me his face since he has sent me photos of someone else...

Any way... please just be aware of this kind of shameless people.

Rgds,