Purported California boyfriend bilks Leeds woman out of $60,000, police say

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/purported-california-boyfriend-bilks-leeds-woman-out-of-60000-police-say

Published on: April 18, 2018 | Last Updated: April 18, 2018 5:21 PM EDT

The online lover told an Elizabethtown-Kitley woman he’d met on an online dating site that he just needed to clear up some tax trouble before he could move from California to be with her.

Two transactions and nearly $60,000 later, the victim has been left with a “broken heart and bank account,” as OPP in Leeds County hunt a con artist who could be across the street or across the globe.

The force warned that the criminals behind “romance scams” hunt dating websites and social media or even use email blasts to find victims who can lose tens of thousands before the relationship abruptly ends, usually without a single in-person meeting. Seniors are among the most vulnerable.

Leeds OPP and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre offered these tips: 

• First, ask yourself: “Would someone I have never met, really declare their love for me after only a few letters or emails?” If the answer is no, report it to police.
• Don’t give out any personal information in an email or when chatting online. Check the person’s name, the company name, and the addresses used.
• Never send money, or give personal credit card or online account details to anyone you do not know and trust. A request to send money to a foreign country or to someone you have never met should be a red flag.
• Check website addresses carefully. Scammers often set up fake websites with addresses that are very similar to legitimate dating websites.

Anyone who suspects that they or someone they know has been a victim of a romance scam can contact their local police service and also file a complaint through the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or antifraudcentre.ca.