WARNING: “Freedom” / “Freedom Malcolm” on Tinder — Military Romance Scam
Posting this because I genuinely hope it prevents another woman from getting caught up in the same situation.
I matched with a man on Tinder who introduced himself as Freedom, and also used the name Freedom Malcolm. He presented himself as a U.S. military service member currently deployed overseas.
And I want to make something very clear: this was NOT an obvious fake profile.
We communicated regularly. He video-called me. During a video call, he appeared in military uniform with military helicopters visible in the background. He sent additional photographs, communicated consistently, talked extensively about faith and relationships, prayed with/for me, and discussed a future together.
There was also an entire online presence that initially seemed to support his story.
He had a social media account that appeared established, with followers and content involving cars. He portrayed himself as being involved in the automobile business and talked about owning land/property in North Carolina. He also showed documentation that appeared to be some type of automobile dealer license/certification or credential.
Taken together — the social media presence, followers, car-related content, documentation, video calls, military uniform and the personal details he shared — there were multiple things that initially made the identity seem credible.
Eventually, however, the story took a very familiar scam turn.
He began talking about a supposed shipment of approximately 55 cars that was coming into the UK. He claimed the shipment required more than $100,000 in clearance fees. According to him, he had plenty of money to cover everything — he simply couldn’t access his bank account because of his deployment.
Then an urgent situation developed where he supposedly needed permission from his commander to travel to Turkey to deal with the shipment.
His mother was supposedly going to send him the money he needed to get there.
Then suddenly he couldn’t reach his mother.
Then his mother was suddenly very sick.
And Bitcoin/cryptocurrency entered the conversation as a potential way to transfer money.
🚩 Military deployment
🚩 Can’t access his own money
🚩 Urgent financial emergency
🚩 International shipment of approximately 55 cars
🚩 More than $100K supposedly tied up in clearance fees
🚩 Needs to travel to Turkey immediately
🚩 Mother who was supposed to help suddenly unavailable/sick
🚩 Bitcoin/cryptocurrency
That’s when I started digging deeper.
I conducted reverse-image searches on photographs he had sent me and located what appears to be the actual person associated with images being used. The information I found did not match the identity, background or circumstances that had been presented to me as “Freedom Malcolm.”
I also found information suggesting that the person appearing in the photographs has an established life/family completely inconsistent with what I had been told.
As I investigated further, other pieces of the supporting story also began falling apart, including information surrounding the supposed automobile business/credentials.
I did not send him any money.
I have reported the Tinder profile directly to Tinder as a suspected romance/financial scam and am providing screenshots and supporting evidence.
I’m sharing this because I think there’s an important misconception about romance scams:
They don’t necessarily look fake anymore.
A person can have social media.
They can have followers.
They can have photographs going back over time.
They can show you business documents.
They can know detailed information about a particular industry.
They can even video-call you.
None of those things independently prove that the name, history, businesses, relationship status, military circumstances or financial situation they’re presenting to you are legitimate.
And if someone you’ve met online eventually tells you:
“I have money, but I can’t access my account right now.”
🚨 STOP.
Especially when the solution starts involving cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, gift cards, wire transfers, paying fees, shipments, customs, overseas travel or sending money through another person.
If you encounter someone on Tinder or another dating app using the name Freedom or Freedom Malcolm and you’re hearing a similar story involving the military, deployment, automobile business, car shipments, the UK, Turkey, North Carolina property, inaccessible bank accounts, his mother, or Bitcoin, please be extremely cautious and independently verify everything.
I’m intentionally including the names and major details I was given because if another woman becomes suspicious and searches “Freedom Malcolm scam,” “Freedom Malcolm Tinder,” “Freedom Malcolm military,” “Freedom Malcolm cars,” or pieces of this story, I want her to be able to find this.
Please be careful. And don’t assume you’re safe from a romance scam simply because you’ve seen the person on video.