The B.C. RCMP has declared March fraud prevention month and on that note, the Citizen is running a series of stories on the various types of fraud that can be encountered and how to protect yourself against them:
Lonely hearts can be easily duped if they don't take care while visiting a dating or social networking site, says the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC.
In what's known as the "romance scam," a fraud artist will establish contact with the victim and then spend months, if need be, building up a long-distance relationship to the point where finally, the target is convinced they should meet 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," says the CAFC. "Other variations include the scammer claiming that there is an emergency with a sick relative and will ask for money to cover medical expenses."
Dire consequences have sometimes ensued as the scammer not only empties the target's bank account but breaks his or her heart.
"This scam has led to incidents of suicide in cases where victims have lost their life savings and have been emotionally devastated," CAFC said.
There are telltale signs that you could be in the process of being lured.
For example, that special someone could be claiming to be from Canada or the U.S but working overseas or has fallen in love with you suspiciously quickly.
And he or she may also be insistent on communicating through instant messaging or email rather than through the dating site.
Whatever you do, "don't cash any cheques or send the person any money for any reason, whatsoever," the CFAC warns.
