Romance scam results in $34,500 loss for Ontario resident

An Ontario resident is out $34,500 after falling prey to a romance scam.

The scam started when a Brant County resident met a person on a popular dating site in April, OPP said in a press release today (July 18).

After a few weeks of conversation, the scammer gained the victim’s trust and convinced them to switch communication to a different platform, police said.

The fraudster then introduced the idea of investing in cryptocurrency.

“The victim, trusting the individual, made several transfers into a cryptocurrency account but has been unable to retrieve any of the funds,” police said.

The scammer used multiple tactics to maintain the victim’s trust, including changing phone numbers, deactivating and reactivating social media profiles under different names, and requesting the victim to set up new accounts and emails.

When the victim attempted to withdraw their money, they were repeatedly asked to pay various fees with strict deadlines, which ultimately led to more financial loss totalling $34,500 police said.

After realizing the photos of the love interest were actually stolen from an influencer’s social media account, the victim contacted the Brant OPP to report the fraud.

The OPP reminds people to be cautious in online relationships, especially when asked to make financial investments or share personal information.

OPP offers these tips to protect yourself from romance scams:

• Be wary of anyone who asks you to switch communication platforms or requests financial assistance.
• Do not share personal information or financial details with someone you have not met in person.
• Conduct thorough research on the individual, including checking for inconsistencies in their stories and verifying their social media profiles.

Photos can be searched using reverse image sites such as Google Images or TinEye.

Report any suspicious activity to police immediately.

If you suspect that you or someone you know has been a victim of a romance scam, please contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122.

Lead photo: Kristina Paukshtite