White Rock RCMP are cautioning people who venture into online relationships that a request for them to send money is a red flag.
Const. Shaileshni Molison said the warning was issued following a report from a local resident who lost “quite a bit of money” in just such a “romance scam.”
The victim, a woman in her 60s, came to police on Feb. 26. She told police she sent “a great sum of money” overseas.
Molison would not disclose the amount of money lost, but said the modus operandi was one police have seen before: individuals connect over the Internet and a relationship builds over a period of months. They never actually meet, and eventually, the unsuspecting victim’s goodwill is used against them to elicit funds.
“That seems to be the MO for a lot of these romance scams,” Molison said. “It’s how they connect with that individual.”
According to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, romance scams have grown with the increased use of social media, and have resulted in millions of dollars in losses.
Warning signs to watch for include if the conversation turns to talk of a good friend or loved one who needs help, or expressing a desire to meet but not having the funds to travel.
Molison said police are working with other agencies to try and identify the culprit behind the latest incident. However, “it’s very difficult to pinpoint even who this individual is, or even pinpoint the country,” she said. “We don’t have any information on the individual except for the name he provided through these dating sites.”
Molison described the incident as “concerning.”
“We just want to warn people to be careful,” she said. “It’s a terrible situation for her, but if other people can learn from it…”