Online Romance Scam

An Alberta widow says she lost over $800K in an online romance scam.

A 68-year-old widow fell victim to a romance scam using an online dating app.

An online romance scam is a type of fraud in which a criminal adopts a fake online identity to gain a victim’s trust and affection. The scammer then uses the illusion of a romantic relationship to manipulate the victim into sending money, gifts, or personal information.

Typically, the scammer will create a fake profile on a dating site or social media platform and use attractive photos to draw in potential victims. Once a connection is made, the scammer will start to build trust and then begin to ask for money or personal information.

Victims of an online romance scam often lose a significant amount of money and may even suffer emotional trauma.