DEAR ABBY: This is in response to "Living a Soap Opera" (Jan. 3), the unhappy woman who is married to an alcoholic. She is flattered by the three younger men she's conversing with online. My experience is that when men say they are in a place where you can't meet them, such as stationed far away in the army or on a ship, and they immediately fall in love with you, it's most likely a scam.
I'm not saying this to hurt her feelings or deflate her ego, but for the purpose of safety. If they start asking for money, beware! Vulnerable people easily get scammed in this way. Sadly, I know this from experience, so I just wanted to give a heads-up. -- THANKFUL I CAUGHT ON
DEAR THANKFUL: Many readers saw red flags in "Living's" letter, with some pointing out that the "in the military" scenario is a common one. "Living" should do as much research as she can on "catfishing" and these kinds of scams, and never send money for any reason. Readers also recommended she attend Al-Anon meetings if she hasn't been, and look for activity groups locally to add some positivity to her life.