Grey Bruce OPP are providing tips to avoid getting romance scammed this Valentine’s Day.
Police say with Valentine’s Day this Friday, officers are seeing an increase in the number of calls for service regarding romance scams.
These types of scams include criminals looking for potential victims online, who are generally single or recently unattached people.
“Usually, this form of mass marketing fraud occurs through singles and dating-related meet websites, social media platforms, or e-mail blasts. In some cases, prolonged interaction with individuals has cost some victims tens of thousands of dollars before the relationship ends, usually without ever meeting in person,” says OPP in a release.
Police add while 95 per cent of all types of fraud are not reported, romance scams can result in severe financial hardships for victims and personal embarrassment, which also contributes to them reporting the crime.
To avoid being the victim of a romance scam, police suggest the following:
-Don’t give out any personal information in an email or when you are chatting online. Educate yourself. Check the person’s name, the company name, and the addresses used.
-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.
-Never send money or give personal credit card or online account details to anyone you do not know or trust. A request to send money to a foreign country to someone you have never personally met should be a red flag.
-Checking website addresses carefully. Scammers offer set up fake websites with addresses that are very similar to legitimate dating websites.
If you or someone you know may have been the victim of a romance scam, contact police or Crime Stoppers.
