Beware of Romance Scams! 🚨
Imagine waking up to find out that someone has stolen your identity and used it to scam others. That’s the nightmare Steven Kelly is living. This former soldier, who served with the 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery, is facing daily abuse and death threats because scammers have been using his photos and details to create fake profiles posing as a soldier in need.
The con artists lure victims into fake relationships and trick them into sending money, making it seem like Steven himself is the scammer. When victims realise they’ve been duped, they find Steven’s real social media accounts and wrongly accuse him.
Steven first discovered this eight years ago when a friend’s wife received a fake message. Now, it’s a relentless cycle: scammers take personal photos of Steven and claim he and his family are stranded in war-torn areas. As a result, Steven, who runs a survival training business, is struggling. His TikTok live sessions are often disrupted by accusations from those who feel deceived.
“People don’t realise that I’m a victim too,” Steven says. “Even when they know I’m not the scammer, they still blame me.”
Adding to his woes, Steven’s wife and daughter also face harassment. “I’ve been threatened with being shot and stabbed,” he reveals. The ordeal has become so intense that his daughter avoids taking photos with him.
Steven is calling for tougher measures from social media platforms to prevent fake accounts. He believes that verifying identities is crucial to stop this malicious cycle. “When I’ve looked into these scams, they often use the identities of military and police personnel to gain trust. It needs to stop.”
Let’s support Steven and help spread awareness about these scams. Always verify before sending money online and report any suspicious activity. You never know who the real victims might be. 💔 #StopScams #Awareness #SupportSteven