Sister’s boyfriend caught in lie

Dear Amy: My sister has been dating “Dominic” for close to three years.

She decided she wanted to start a whole new career path, which would require going back to school. Dom claims to want to be a cop, but doesn’t appear to be doing anything about it.

We’ve all been concerned about their situation, but now our fears are growing deeper as I have recently caught Dom in a lie.

Recently, he claimed to have gone on a “ride along” with the police units Aviation Unit. I found it quite hard to believe he did such a thing and did some research and found the relevant paperwork online, which clearly states NO ONE is permitted to ride along with the Aviation Unit.

Furthermore, the picture he posted on his social media account bragging about his experience was actually taken from a blog posted in 2011. (I learned this doing a “reverse image” search.)

Our whole family is very upset that this guy could be taking advantage of my sister and lying about everything. My sister has taken on a lot of financial responsibility for the two of them.

We don’t know how to tell her that we fear her relationship is based on lies. She is 26. How can we approach her and talk to her about this without losing her to this guy? — Concerned Sister

Dear Sister: You’ve taken it upon yourself to catch this guy, and so you should deliver the news to your sister that “Dominic” is not the man he pretends to be.

You should deliver this in a neutral way, offering her only the facts, and letting her decide what — if anything — she wants to do about it.

It can be heartbreaking to watch a beloved family member bury her own dreams and engage in what seems like a dead-end relationship, but you must always accept the fact that she is making her own choices. Even if you disagree with these choices, you should convey to her that she is in charge of her own life and that you will always be in her corner, no matter what.

Be very wary of making overly negative statements or nonnegotiables concerning this person. You may all be stuck with him for some time to come.