First off, yes people are using military association for scamming.
Ask for the perp to send an e-mail from work, so you can proudly display it to (insert gender -here) friends.
ALL, real addresses will end with a .mil and ALL Army official e-mail will end with .army.mil
If he is a Major, his signature will read:
Scammer
MAJ, USA
A link:
http://www.defense.gov/faq/pis/PC04MLTR.html
Another:
http://www.archives.gov/
For an immediate response call the FBI, they have a fraudulent Armed Forces special unit that deals with just that.
Lastly:
Quote:
Sketchy records. When asked to verify details of their military record, phonies often say they didn't go through the normal military channels, said Mike Sandborn, an FBI special agent and former Marine captain who works medals fraud cases. Sandborn said phonies will often say they were in high demand by the military and weren't required to go through the normal training.
Appearance matters. Impostors put on pretty lousy impersonations. They're often out of shape or have a "slovenly appearance in uniform," Sandborn said. If they look like "50 pounds of pork shoved into a 10-pound sack," Sandborn said, they're probably an impostor.
Top secret? Probably not. A phony often will say details of his career exploits are classified. But even with awards for classified actions, ceremonies are never top secret. Veterans claiming to have received an award should be able to produce an order granting it no matter how secretive the action.
"My dog ate it." Phonies often say their military documents were destroyed in a fire or some similar disaster.
Watch that rack. Check their decorations; phonies often wear medals in the wrong order or in disproportion to their time in service.
Check the birth date. When it comes to the Medal of Honor, age matters. According to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, the youngest living recipient is 53-year-old Gordon R. Roberts. "If you see a young kid wearing a Medal of Honor, he's impersonating," said Gary Littrell, president of the society.
Just ask. Don't be afraid to test someone if you think they're faking, FBI agents say. If they're legit, they won't mind if you ask questions, Cottone said. Highly decorated veterans usually are very modest and rarely draw attention to their accomplishments; impostors love to boast. Sandborn cautioned troops to remember that "true heroism is like a river - the deeper it runs, the quieter it is."
Surf the Web. Still not sure? Check out the online databases of information about both real and phony war heroes. The site www.homeofheroes.com has a confidential online "bust a phony" form. Information submitted is turned over to the FBI. The Congressional Medal of Honor Society maintains a list of living MOH award recipients at www.cmohs.org. Also, www.pownetwork.org maintains a list of phony veterans.
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I am Felix
MSG, USA Retired