With Valentine upon us romance scams are making the round in Mississauga and Brampton

Valentine’s is a few days away, and those looking for love should be wary of being a target of romance scams.

Last year (Nov. 2022) Peel Police expressed their concern about a social media scam that can leave a victim heartbroken and drained of their bank account.

The season of love is around the corner and residents are asked to refresh their memory and practice extreme caution online—especially for anyone saying they have fallen head-over-heels for you in a short amount of time.

Here’s how it happens:

A scammer will create fake profiles on social media and dating sites to make it seem like they are real. They will reach out to numerous people through email or direct messages, hoping someone will catch the bait.

Through the conversations the scammer will convince the individual to start a “virtual” relationship and try to gain their trust and affection.

How do you identify a scammer:

Be suspicious if the person wants to move to a mode of chat that requires you to share personal information such as email, text, WhatsApp.

The scammer will use tactics like sadness or anger to guilt you into sending them money and will encourage you to isolate from family and friends to avoid getting caught.

Check the location. If the person claims they live close by, but is working in another country— chances are they are running the scam from somewhere else.

Don’t feel special, as  you are not the only one they are chatting with.  It’s obvious they are targeting multiple people when they seem busy and the conversation doesn’t make sense.

Remember, if someone cares about you they won’t call you the wrong name or refuse the chance to meet up.

What you should look for:

There are several red flags that a person should look for when talking to a stranger online.

If the scammer requests money from you for an urgent situation and pushes you to act quickly. This includes them asking for funds for medical emergencies and family assistance, asking you to be a partner in a business venture or looking for an investment in cryptocurrency.

A big one is if the scammer asks you to receive money on their behalf. If agreed to, you could unknowingly be committing a crime.

By following these steps and trusting your guy, you can save yourself a lot of time and money from these scammers.