The Scam Of The Day – The Romance Scam

There is a growing number of people who are turning to the internet to find love,
unfortunately scammers know this and use every type of dating or social networking site to
seek out potential victims.
The scammer will gain the trust of the victim through displays of affection and will
communicate through the phone and email for months if needed to build that trust. The
scammer will claim to be located in a foreign country but will want to meet up with the victim
in person. It is at this time that the scammer will advise that they can’t afford to travel and will
ask for money to cover travel costs. Other variations include the scammer claiming that there
is an emergency with a sick relative and will ask for money to cover medical expenses.

Warning Signs – How to Protect Yourself
• Be on the lookout for someone who claims to be from Canada or the U.S but they are
working overseas;
• Be careful communicating with someone who claims to have fallen in love with you
quickly;
• Don’t leave the dating site; the person will usually want to use instant messaging or
email;
• Beware if they claim they are coming to visit you but some situation prevents it from
happening and;
• Don’t cash any cheques or send the person any money for any reason, whatsoever!