Scammers use magazine sales pitch to get on base Published April 22, 2014 By Kimberly Woodruff Tinker Public Affairs TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Security forces officials at military installations across the country, including Tinker, are investigating reports of young adults gaining access to the base under false pretenses. Recently, a Navy Sailor stationed here met four people at a local retail store and sponsored them on base to sell magazines in the dorms. "The four were so successful, they decided to come back the following day," said Lt. Col. Frank Reyes, 72nd Security Forces Squadron commander. "When they came back, they went underneath the fence line by the golf course and 29th Street with the intention of going to the dorms again." Colonel Reyes said Airmen complained to their first sergeants on the second day of solicitations. "They called security forces and we caught the individuals," the colonel said. "When we asked why they went through the fence line, they said they knew it was wrong, but they had so much success the day before. They even went to the base exchange to buy food before they started walking to the dorms." The colonel said while the four were walking, a couple of Airmen stopped and gave them a ride to the dorms. "The uniform is the target," said Senior Airman Jessica Caisse, 72nd Security Forces Squadron Investigations Section. "Women flirt with and try to convince the Airman to bring them on base." Airman Caisse said the women are selling subscriptions to magazines that in many instances are never received. "So people are out the money if they subscribe," she said. "A good haul could net $2,000 or more." She also said in addition to magazine sales, the women sometimes offer sexual favors. There have been unconfirmed reports that the individuals may be soliciting dorm residents for prostitution, or like at MacDill AFB, Fla., "dances" in exchange for money. The young females who were found in the MacDill dorm complex without a sponsor said they were "on base to meet hot guys serving our country." In the pitch, the women claim they are students participating in contests to win points toward a free trip to Hawaii or Australia. After the females -- typically between the ages of 18 and 21 -- gain access to the base, they persuade or abandon their sponsor and go knocking on doors in the dormitories. Victims described subjects as persistent and very flirtatious. Suspects reportedly sat on victim's laps or seductively sat on victims' beds to make the sale. Similar incidents have been reported within the last two months at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., and Little Rock AFB, Ark. In both cases, victims were targeted at local retail store. A quick web search revealed many complaints against the company for which the women work. The group has a gypsy mentality, constantly moving around from state to state. According to Tinker Air Force Base defense plan, "A person who is sponsored has no personal authorization to be on the base, but is rather benefiting from the sponsor's privilege to vouch." Sponsors are responsible for their guests' actions while on base. If the sponsored person proves untrustworthy or disorderly, they should be removed from the installation. Officials urge Airmen to use good judgment when sponosring people on the base. Military members need to be vigilant and protect themselves to avoid becoming a victim. "We need everyone at Tinker AFB to be cognizant of the risks introduced into our operations and to our personnel when Team Tinker personnel sponsor individuals onto the base they don't know; especially if our authorized personnel do not provide oversight to the individuals they sponsored," said Col. Stephen Wood, 72nd Air Base Wing vice commander.