FORT BELVOIR, Va. - The U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command, commonly known as CID, is warning the Army community of an ongoing internet scam within popular social networking and dating sites where the criminal poses as a member of the U.S. Army.

CID has learned of scammers creating profiles of senior Army officers and noncommissioned officers, to include the use of official photographs, in an attempt to lure unsuspecting persons into revealing personal, banking or financial information.

In their latest attempt, scammers are making contact with potential victims through various social networking sites. After contact, often during instant messaging or e-mail correspondence, the scammers appeal to the recipient's sense of empathy or desire for financial gain. By doing what is asked of them, often cashing a check, the recipients are told they would be helping the sender or the sender's Family out of a terrible situation. Complying with these requests often places the victim at risk both financially and opens them up to possibly becoming the victim of identity theft.

CID strongly recommends that Soldiers, civilians and Family members who come across any known suspicious social networking or dating site profile or are solicited in this fashion from a person posing as a U.S. Soldier, immediately contact the nearest CID office or send e-mail to the CID office at the Website crimetips@conus.army.mil. They can also file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center. Their Web site is www.IC3.gov.

Those who participate in such a scam can face criminal charges if they actively facilitate an internet scheme. Soldiers and civilians who knowingly participate in the negotiation of fraudulent money orders or travel checks in furtherance of fraud schemes are subject to Title 18 of the U.S. Code, Section 1343, Fraud by Wire, Radio or Television. The title states that individuals who devise schemes to defraud, obtain money or property under false pretenses, representations or promises will be fined or imprisoned for not more than 20 years, or both. Violators that affect financial institutions can be imprisoned not more than 30 years, fined not more than $1 million, or both.

U.S. citizens and residents who have suffered a financial loss should contact the nearest field office of the United States Secret Service by telephone. Victims are advised to continue reporting these scam e-mails to law enforcement agencies.

CID Lookout is a U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command initiative to partner with the Army community by providing a conduit for members of the Army Family, to help prevent, reduce and report felony-level crime.The USACIDC, commonly known as CID, is an independent criminal investigative organization that investigates serious, felonylevel crime such as murder, rape, sexual assault, robbery, arson, fraud, and even cyber crime or intrusions into the Army networks.

Solving and preventing these types of crime cannot be achieved solely by CID Special Agents and the Military Police. Together, professional law enforcement officers and the Army community must work hand-inhand to fight serious crime. As such, CID is On Point for the Army and depends heavily on Soldiers, Family members and civilian employees to be on the lookout and provide assistance in keeping the Army strong and safe.

CID Lookout provides the latest information to the Army community aimed at helping Soldiers protect themselves, their Families and to reduce their chances of becoming crime victims.

For more information on CID or to report a felonylevel crime or provide information concerning a crime, contact your local CID Office or the Military Police, or visit www.cid.army.mil.