March is Fraud Prevention Month for the OPP and they’re warning residents to be wary of what they call the Romance Scam.
According to the OPP criminals will find potential victims online, usually single or unattached people of all ages but the elderly are often the most vulnerable. This fraud usually starts on singles or dating websites, as well as on social media or through an email blast. In 2017 alone this scam generated over 350 complaints to the OPP and 250 victims lost over 6.2 million dollars in just Ontario.
As part of their prevention campaign the OPP has a few tips for now to avoid becoming a victim. First the say you should never give out your personal information online, never send money or give credit card details out to anyone you don’t trust and check all websites carefully because scammers will set up fake websites. They also add that you should ask yourself whether someone would declare their love for you after only a few conversations, saying you should report these incidents.
Police say the dollar value of the Romance Scam is the second highest in the province and admit that due to the emotional impact these crimes are often not reported. The OPP say their totals could represent as little as five percent of the total.
For more tips on how to avoid becoming a victim click here.
