Used car scam tarnishes Liberty Warriors' names Published June 22, 2009 By Senior Airman Kristopher Levasseur 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England -- Servicemembers at RAF Lakenheath have become a prime target for identity theft in a recent rash of fraudulent car sales on popular Web sites for online classified advertisements. Dozens of cases have been reported of scam artists using the names of 48th Fighter Wing personnel to sell vehicles over the internet, but never delivering the vehicle after the payment has been received. According to 1st Lt. Adam Delph, 48th FW assistant staff judge advocate, there are several things servicemembers should do if they find their names used for this and other types of scams. "Print out a copy of any information you have regarding the fraudulent listing and lodge a complaint with the specific internet site," said Lieutenant Delph. "Although this scam does not appear to compromise your financial information, it is still a good idea to review your credit report to make sure that no additional fraudulent accounts have been opened in your name or unauthorized charges were made to your existing accounts." Recently, Tech. Sgt. Richard Parks, 48th Medical Operations Squadron, found himself an unknowing participant in this type of scam after he discovered that his name was being used to sell a 2006 Toyota Tundra for $4,800 online. "After something like this happens to you, you really find out how little you can do about it," said Sergeant Parks. "All I could do was flag every ad using my name for removal. I found more than 25 advertisements using my name." Sergeant Parks was initially notified of the scam by a servicemember in the U.S. who was interested in purchasing the vehicle. "I'm pretty mad that they have used my name and rank for this scam," said Sergeant Parks. "Whoever is running this scam is preying on people's respect for the military and conning people out of their hard-earned money." A concern with servicemembers' names used for this type of scam is the threat of legal action. "Should the worst happen and the victim of the scam initiates a civil lawsuit against you, remember, you did not break the law," said Lieutenant Delph. "You cannot be held liable by a court for an action you did not commit." Servicemembers and their families should be cautious when purchasing goods over the internet, Lieutenant Delph added. "Look on the website to see how many other listings are under the same name," said Lieutenant Delph. "Excessive posts may indicate a fraudulent seller. Also, attempt to contact that seller personally and ask for identity verification. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is." If your name has been used in a scam and you require legal assistance, call the Legal Office at 226-3553.