The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) claim that 976 Canadians were involved in some kind of online romance scam and combined, they lost $19 million CAD.
The RCMP says that this happened on social media and through popular dating apps, but it doesn’t mention any apps specifically. To help combat these scams, the police service is warning Canadians to be skeptical of people they’ve only met online, especially if they’re asking for money, pictures and personal or financial information.
The organization also says that anyone that’s quick to profess their love and claims to live nearby, but is overseas for some reason, is usually a scam.
If you do find your self in the middle of a scam there are four things you should do according to the RCMP:
- Stop all contact with the potential scammer.
- Contact your financial institution to halt any outstanding payments.
- Report it to your local police and include as much information as possible.
- File a report with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) through their confidential online reporting system or by calling 1-888-495-8501.
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