NORFOLK COUNTY – A senior resident from Norfolk County has lost about $300,000 due to a romance scam, according to Norfolk County OPP.
Police were contacted at about 8:39 p.m. on November 14 from a person saying they had established an online relationship someone after meeting on a dating website.
Through the course of this online relationship, they say requests for money were made by the suspect claiming they needed it for several emergencies.
The large amount of money was forwarded between July and November.
According to police, the victim claims they exchanged several emails with details of the suspect's history and employment status.
Police are warning the public to be mindful of these scams. They say single people, often women, are among the growing number of the vulnerable population to be victims of these scams.
There is no word on if police have found the suspect, if they are investigating or if charges are pending.
Here are some of the tips that OPP offers to protect people from some of these scams:
- Check website addresses carefully. Scammers often set up fake websites with very similar addresses to legitimate dating websites. Make sure you only use legitimate and reputable dating websites.
- Never send money, or give credit card or online account details to anyone you do not know and trust. A request to send money to a foreign country (using Western Union or MoneyGram) to this person you have never personally met should be a red flag.
- Don't give out any personal information in an email or when you are chatting online. Like any scam, use your computer to your advantage. Educate yourself. Check the person's name, the company name the addresses used, and ask yourself, "Would this be normal?"
- Ask yourself - "Would someone I have never met really declare their love for me after only a few letters or emails?"
