There is broad consensus in American society that stolen valor, the act of falsely claiming military awards or service, is unacceptable. When public figures are found to have even slight discrepancies in their military records, the backlash is swift, bipartisan and fierce. But a far more damaging and widespread trend has emerged in recent years: the mass impersonation of military figures and institutions online, often by foreign actors or scammers.

This new form of deception, what we call False Valor, is the exploitation of the military community’s reputation for unethical purposes. This includes financial scams, disinformation campaigns and influence operations. While stolen valor typically involves a single individual seeking personal gain, false valor operates at scale, weaponizing trust in America’s military to sow division and cause real harm.

We the Veterans and Military Families has identified thousands of fake social media accounts impersonating U.S. generals or fabricated military organizations. Many are hosted on Meta platforms and operated from outside the United States. These fraudulent profiles exploit military imagery, uniforms and titles to manipulate emotions, extract money, or disseminate divisive content.

In one alarming case, a high-profile retired general had at least 42 fake accounts impersonating them even after a decade-long effort to have them removed. In one particularly egregious case of fraud, an 80-year-old woman fell victim to an $80,000 scam to one account claiming to be the general. There are good, patriotic Americans who admire retired generals and admirals who have led our military, and taking advantage of that faith for personal, political or other nefarious gain is an affront to our civilian-military relationship.

These impersonations are not merely a nuisance. They are a direct threat to our civil-military relationship and national security. U.S. general officers, whether retired or active, carry immense trust and influence, not only among service members and their families, but also among the broader public. That credibility can be exploited by bad actors for financial fraud, cyberattacks, or to shape public opinion for nefarious purposes.

This is not a theoretical concern. Our research further suggests there may be more than 10,000 fake military-related accounts across platforms, many with large followings and substantial engagement. These pages often originate in regions like Eastern Europe, China, Iran and Vietnam. Some are scams. Others are likely components of foreign information operations.

The good news is that there are steps every American — especially those in the military and veteran community — can take to fight back.

First, think critically about what you see on social media. Ask: Is this account legitimate? Where is it based? If an account claiming to represent a U.S. military figure is based overseas, that’s a red flag.

Second, understand that scammers and foreign adversaries target your emotions. Fraudsters often exploit hope, offering a fake financial windfall, or panic, such as an alert that your bank account is compromised. If you receive such a message, don’t respond online. Go directly to your bank and talk to a real person.

Disinformation campaigns, meanwhile, play on fear, outrage and patriotism. If a military-themed post enrages you or provokes strong emotions, pause and verify the source before sharing or reacting.

Third, be cautious about clicking links. If you’re unsure about a link in a post or message, cut and paste it into a new browser window instead of clicking it directly. This simple step can help prevent hackers from spreading viruses to your computer.

Fourth, keep your software up to date. Regular — even daily — updates patch security vulnerabilities that bad actors can exploit.

Finally, report suspicious accounts. Social media companies have tools to flag impersonators and fraudulent content. It only takes a moment, but collective action can make a real impact.

At a time when America faces deep polarization, our enemies seek to exploit cracks in our unity — and they’re using military imagery and identities to do it. True valor today means being vigilant, informed and proactive in defending our community’s integrity online.

United, we can expose and dismantle these digital threats. Divided online, we can fall prey to all types of false valor and into the hands of bad actors cowering in the dark corners of the internet who are watching America fight battles with itself.

Ellen Gustafson is co-founder and executive director of We the Veterans and Military Families and a U.S. Navy spouse.

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