We are diehard romantics and that’s why this story breaks our heart. As we all prepare to celebrate love on Valentine’s Day – the OPP is warning the public to be aware of romance scams.
A romance scam is when a person creates a false identity and pretends to have romantic feelings for a victim to gain their trust and affection for the purpose of obtaining their money. A report by Scotiabank states that in 2023, Canadians lost more than $50.3 million to romance scams. According to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC), last year Canadians reported losing more than $58.4 million to romance fraud and $310 million to investment fraud. Romance fraud is sometimes linked to cryptocurrency investment schemes, which can increase victims’ financial losses. We’ll take a closer look at that later in this article.
Business Today Magazine reported that data collector Moody’s DataHub identifies romance scams are at a six-year high. As per its overall data, 2024 registered a 14% increase in new romance scam profiles compared to 2023. In 2024, the US accounted for over a third or 38% of new romance scam profiles among top 10 countries. It was followed by Nigeria (14%), India (12%), the UK (11%), Malaysia (5%), China (5%), the Philippines (4%), Brazil (4%), Canada (4%) and Australia (3%).
Recently in Peel Region, police say a “prolific offender” claiming to be an overseas military member duped nearly a dozen people across Canada into sending him a total of $275,000 to help with the “transition” of returning home after a deployment. Over time, police say the “friendly communication” developed into what the victims believed was a relationship. The victims agreed to help the suspect — with the assurance of being reimbursed. In total, 11 people from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Quebec were victimized between June 2020 and September 2021. The 30-year-old man failed to appear for a January 27th court appearance and is now wanted by police.
The tactic used by this scammer is a common one. The RCMP website says that the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) compiled a list of common lies romance scammers frequently tell their victims to make the scam appear legitimate. They often say they have an occupation where they frequently travel or are away for long periods of time.
Common ones are:
- working on an oil rig
- being in the military
- working as a doctor with an international organization
The FTC says romance scammers often ask their victims for money to pay for:
- plane tickets or other travel expenses
- surgery or other medical expenses
- customs fees to retrieve an item of value
- gambling debts
- visas or other official travel documents
These scammers often research potential victims online, including reviewing their social media posts, to develop a tailored strategy for each victim and improve their chances of success. Unfortunately, by the time the victim becomes aware of the scam they’ve handed over thousands of dollars and the fraudster has stopped communicating with them.
Seniors often fall target to these scams. Last year, a 77-year-old widow in Newfoundland received a Facebook friend request from someone she didn’t know. The sender said that he had fallen in love with her picture, and the two began texting. Before long, the man said his finances were tied up in a U.S. bank and asked if he could borrow money to help his sick son. He convinced the woman to buy him thousands of dollars in Apple gift cards. In the end, she gave the scammer $20,000.
Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta Platforms recently issued an advisory urging users to stay vigilant about “romance scams” ahead of Valentine’s Day, warning of unsolicited messages through its apps and other social media platforms, as well as general text messages.
Scammers tend to pose as “attractive, single and successful individuals,” Meta says. They often claim to have military, medical or business backgrounds, with photos either stolen from real people’s accounts or generated through artificial intelligence. Initially, messages are sent to a large pool of people in the hopes of getting a response.
Meta said it recently worked with research firm Graphika to take down romance scams in three common categories: those impersonating military officers, celebrity mimics and scammers posing as fake match-making agencies that target people in Africa — “claiming to offer opportunities to meet rich men from Western countries or build relationships with ‘African women.’”
In addition to taking down scam networks, Meta says it is testing other including facial recognition technology that compares suspicious users’ profile photos against a public figure’s image. But, for now, that only works for celebrity impersonations. So far in 2025, they have removed over 116,000 Pages and accounts on Facebook and Instagram, primarily in Nigeria, Ghana, Côte D’Ivoire, Benin, and Kenya.
To stay vigilant, Meta recommends people be suspicious of messages from strangers. If you do engage, try to verify the person’s identity by looking them up on the platform — check when their accounts were created or use a reverse image search on their photos.
The newest form of high-tech romance scams is cryptocurrency fraud. The Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) has said that it has noticed an increase in sophisticated romance/investment scams, a method colloquially known as “pig butchering”. Victims are contacted on dating apps/websites or social media and the fraudster then claims to have been successful in cryptocurrency investments and offers to help the victim “get rich”. Fraudsters use fake online trading platforms and convince victims to transfer funds or cryptocurrency into their trading account, often resulting in the victim being unable to withdraw their funds. Unfortunately, these frauds often result in investors losing most, or all, of their money. CIRO advises:
- Avoid investing based solely on the advice of someone met online. Consult with registered financial professionals if needed.
- Exercise caution if an online connection suggests investing in crypto or transferring funds to specific platforms.
- Be skeptical of promises of large, quick, and low-risk returns.
- Report suspected investment fraud to the CIRO, CAFC, and local police.
The OPP is urging everyone to be aware of romance scams. While fraud happens year-round, people can be more vulnerable to being exploited around Valentine’s Day.
To protect yourself and your loved ones, be aware of the following warning signs:
- Rapid Declarations of Love: Be cautious if someone you haven’t met in person professes their love quickly.
- Requests to Move Off-Platform: If an individual insists on shifting conversations to private channels like email, text, or messaging apps, exercise caution.
- Excuses to Avoid Meeting: Repeated reasons to avoid face-to-face meetings or video calls can be a red flag.
- Inconsistencies in Communication: Poorly written messages or being addressed by the wrong name may indicate deceit.
- Claims of Overseas Residency: Individuals claiming to live nearby but currently working or traveling abroad should be approached with skepticism.
- Emotional Manipulation: Scammers may express distress or anger to guilt you into financial assistance.
- Isolation Tactics: Discouraging you from discussing the relationship with friends or family is a common strategy to prevent external input.
Protective Measures
- Verify Identities: Conduct thorough research on individuals you meet online. Utilize reverse image searches and verify information through multiple sources.
- Guard Personal Information: Be cautious about sharing personal or financial details with someone you’ve only interacted with online.
- Decline Financial Requests: Never send money or provide financial information to someone you haven’t met in person.
- Consult Trusted Individuals: Discuss new online relationships with friends or family members to gain perspective and advice.
If you suspect fraud, contact your local police or OPP at 1-888-310-1122. Report tips anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or online at ontariocrimestoppers.ca.
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre offers an online reporting system, or call the centre at 1-888-495-8501.
