He faces six charges, including money laundering, fraud over $5,000 and failure to comply with a release order. According to information from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, a romance scam generally involves an individual fabricating a false identity and feigning romantic interest in a victim. This deceit is aimed at winning the victim’s trust and affection with the ultimate goal of swindling them out of their money. Fraudsters usually develop a tailored strategy for each victim after researching them online, including reviewing social media posts. Once they’ve gained the victim’s trust, they usually fake a scenario where they need quick money, whether it’s a wire transfer, cryptocurrency, gifts or investments. By the time the victim catches on, the fraudster usually ceases communication and disappears. According to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, romance scammers generally ask for money to pay for plane tickets or other travel expenses, surgery or other medical expenses, customs fees to retrieve an item of value, gambling debts and visas or other official travel documents.
Ontario man arrested at Pearson airport after defrauding $200K from woman in romance scam
