A Malahide resident has lost over $2 million in an online romance scam.
According to Elgin OPP, the scam played out over four years, beginning in 2020. The victim explained they had met an individual on an online dating platform and established an online relationship.
The scammer eventually requested financial assistance to pay outstanding taxes required to obtain an out-of-country family inheritance. The victim initially transferred money to the scammer by using prepaid gift cards and later, used a series of wire transfers over the period of four years totaling more than $2,000,000.
The individuals never met in person during their relationship.
Elgin OPP are continuing with their investigation.
How can you protect yourself from scams?
- DO NOT give out your personal information (name, address, DOB, SIN, banking credentials).
- DO NOT accept friend requests from people you do not know.
- DO NOT invest your money in platforms provided by people you do not know.
- Be careful who you share images with. Suspects will often use explicit pictures to extort victims into sending more money.
- Protect your online accounts.
- Get more than one quote for home repair work and never feel pressured.
- Never send money to someone you have not met.
- DO NOT respond to text messages from phone numbers you do not recognize.
- Learn more tips and tricks for protecting yourself.
If you fall victim to a fraud or know someone who has, contact your local police service to report the crime and report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) at 1-888-495-8501 or online on the Fraud Reporting System (FRS), even if a monetary loss did not occur.
The Elgin County OPP would also like to remind the public that FIGHTFraud information sessions can be arranged for community groups by contacting your local OPP detachment.
“Education and vigilance are our strongest tools in fraud prevention. It’s the only way to stop fraud before it happens.” – Constable Brett PHAIR
