FRAUD – It’s Everywhere… Beware!!
We’ve probably all had someone try to scam us out of something. Usually, it’s MONEY.
Maybe you’ve tried to sell something online and you got some weird responses from someone trying to overpay with the goal of having you send them the difference back.
Maybe you’ve answered the phone and heard that there could be a warrant to arrest you if you don’t pay some outstanding tax bill.
Or maybe a charity you’ve never heard of starts sending you emails asking for money to support their cause – like save the puppies or help the people from Ukraine.
Well, here’s one of the most popular and successful scams out there. The Romance Scam has preyed on lonely and kind souls since long before the internet came along. You might think “I’m not that gullible!” but it seems soooo real at the time. It’s hard for some people to resist… Here’s how it goes.
Romance scams:
You met someone on an online dating site a few months ago. Although the two of you have developed a romantic attachment, you have not yet been able to meet. The person claims to be a soldier stationed overseas. You’ve messaged each other daily. They’ve sent you gifts and flowers. You believe they are sincere. One day, they inform you that their daughter has been involved in an accident and there is an urgent need for money to pay for home care services. They ask for your help. What should you do?
Answers:
- Send money to help the daughter, given the urgency of the situation.
- Send half the money because you want to help, but you also want to protect some of your savings.
- Be suspicious. Do not send any money right away despite your desire to help.
The correct answer is C.
Romance scams continue to cause severe financial harm to consumers in Canada and elsewhere. Be suspicious when someone you’ve never met professes their love for you. Do not send money to strangers under any circumstance. Fraudsters have shown a willingness to develop relationships with a target over an extended period of time before successfully convincing them to send money.
Test your knowledge of fraud. Here are some fun ‘fraud test’ questions for you:
https://www.competitionbureau.gc.ca/eic/site/cb-bc.nsf/eng/04251.html