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Canada’s leading anti-fraud agency is warning people not to swipe right on scammers.
Jessica Gunson, a RCMP intelligence analyst who works with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC), spoke about so-called “romance scams” Thursday on the Brent Loucks Show on 650 CKOM.
“Dating sites can be good, but you have to be aware of the dangers that lie within,” she said of sites and apps like Tinder.
She said scammers often pose as people from a community who happen to be working out of the country.
“The second that that person tells you that they’re not in the city or town where you’re located — that they’re from that place, or that location but they’re working overseas, that’s a huge red flag.”
Gunson said fraudsters will spend weeks, or even months developing a connection with a potential victim before asking for money, often to cover travel costs for a meet-up that never happens.
“Not only do victims lose money, but they’re also emotionally impacted as well and we see that when we talk to victims,” she said.
The CAFC saw $22.5 million in losses reported due to romance scams in 2018, but the problem is likely much worse. Gunson said the agency estimates only about five per cent of cases are reported.
