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Sweet talker swindles Vancouver Island woman out of $20K in romance scam

Financial planner made sure the damage wasn’t worse
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A woman on Oak Bay handed over $20,000 to someone she met online. (Unsplash photo)

A woman trusted someone she had met online and it cost her dearly – $20,000, in fact.

On Aug. 8, Oak Bay Police Department investigated a complaint of a “romance fraud scam.” Over the course of eight months, the victim was manipulated and convinced to send $20,000 to a man she had met online, say police.

The victim was in the process of sending additional money to the man when her financial planner intervened and questioned her client’s intention to send a large sum of money to someone she had never met, say police.

“Police would like to remind citizens to refer to the Canada Anti-Fraud website for helpful tips to assist with anti-fraud tips,” said a news release.

This matter is still under investigation under OBPD file 23-2335.

READ ALSO: LOVE HURTS: Black Press Media journalist goes inside a romance scam



Chris Campbell

About the Author: Chris Campbell

I joined the Victoria News hub as an editor in 2023, bringing with me over 30 years of experience from community newspapers in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley
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