(NORFOLK COUNTY, ON) – The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Norfolk County Detachment would like to warn all Norfolk County residents about the Romance and Dating Scam that has been occurring in Norfolk County, Ontario.
The OPP are currently conducting an investigation after receiving a complaint from a concerned resident. Between January 2009 and September 2013, the resident established an online relationship over the internet with the suspect after meeting them on a dating website. While corresponding several emails were exchanged with details of the suspect’s history and employment status.
Through the course of this correspondence a request for funds was made by the suspect after claiming that several emergencies have occurred. The funds were subsequently forwarded through the use of a money transfer service between the dates of January 2009 to September 2013 totalling approximately $123,000 dollars.
Tips to Avoid Being a Victim of a Romance / Dating Scam
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 (money transfer service) 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 name, the company name the addresses used and ask yourself, “Would this be normal?â€
Do NOT click on links provided within emails. These links are usually fraudulent and made to look like authentic websites for banking institutions and government agencies.
Ask yourself – “Would someone I have never met really declare their love for me after only a few letters or emails?â€
The OPP Crime Prevention Section, Anti-Rackets Branch and its law enforcement partners and stakeholders, such as the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and Ontario Ministry of Consumer Services have ongoing efforts to educate all consumers and create greater awareness of various fraud schemes as they evolve.
It’s not always easy to spot scams, and new ones are invented every day.
Knowledge is power. If you want to stay on top of scams, inform yourself on how to recognize the various types of scams and protect your personal information by visiting law enforcement organizations’ websites, such as OPP.ca, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (www.antifraudcentre.ca) or other reputable organizations.
If you suspect that you may be a target of fraud, or if you have already send funds, don’t be embarrassed – you’re not alone.
If you want to report a fraud, see examples of various fraud scams, or if you need more information, contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at www.antifraudcentre.ca or at 1-888-495-8501.
FRAUD – RECOGNIZE IT….REPORT IT…..STOP IT…