A Toronto man has lost his entire life savings after a month’s online relationship, with which he met on the dating app, which he is one of the latest victims in the scam that targeted thousands of Canadians every year.
The anterior for David Aining began back in March when he swipe the correct on a profile.
“I am single for almost three years and just decided to try my luck again in another relationship.”
It was here that he started communicating with a person who called himself “Pierre”, who said that he lived in California.
“Because I have a friend who lives in Los Angeles, it did not seem that it would be an issue, so I decided to communicate with him.”
Aining states that there were no early alarm bells, and from the beginning, they took appropriate steps to ensure that he was communicating with a meeting with a profile photo.
“Well, I asked that he takes a picture with a sign in which the date and time is called so that I would know that he was like a real person,” he said. “Then I immediately asked her to make a video call, and the conversation looked fine; she looked valid.”
Both of them communicated about daily for several months. Pierre matched the values of anning.
“I am a very philanthropist and join various charitables, and he also created the fact that he also donated for equal reasons.”
His conversations divided into the goals and aspirations of each life; Aining mentioned that he wanted to continue his education by chasing an executive MBA.
“I was telling him that its cost was going to exceed $ 120,000. And he mentioned that he could help with it.”
Help – but not giving him money; Instead, he asked her to invest in a cryptocurrency platform.
“He said that he was working with an aunt who was successful on this stage, so he sent me a link.”
Aining said that everything about the stage seemed valid.
“They told me that I will invest money in this account and he will show me how to trade some options so that I can earn a little money again.”
According to the platform, the investment appeared to pay – at least on paper. That is, until Aining tried to return.
“And when you know, I was not able to get my money out of the site.”
In the paperwork shared with the speaker corner, several deposits were deposited from the anning’s account, about $ 200,000.
“I started reaching Pierre and stage, but no response was received.”
Ang included in the growing list of other victims
More than 1,000 Canadians fell victim to similar romance scams in 2024, according to the latest data released Canadian Anti-Frod CenterThe joint loss amount is more than $ 58 million.
Although this can be easy for those who asked to read that victims like Ang should be better aware, experts say that if you do, you are missing a significant point.
“People behind these scams are well trained how to tap in psychology behind attracting victims,” said Vanessa Ifola, an anti-fraud intelligence advisor located in Halifax.
He said, “They promise the world by exploiting in the basic needs of all of us, which is to be loved, desired,” he said. “A part of the problem, it is also that as a human being, it is to trust our nature, so when we meet someone and say, ‘Hey, you look like a meaningful person, I know you.
A major feature that has mastered many scam artists is the art of manipulation.
“This is their full-time task, and you have to remember that in many examples these scammers are part of a huge organized cluster of those who are working day and night to ensure that they are earning money from their victims.”
Justice barely says victims
Victims like Aining are not only financially destroyed, but they also face a difficult fight in recovering the money that they have lost or even tracking the suspects accused of taking it.
Ang filed a report with both the FBI in the US and the Toronto Police, who handed over a detective from his financial crime unit, but Ang says Ang says he was told by a detective that his chances of recurring their lost money were thin.
“I was originally told that they have never recovered money in such scams, which is very disappointing. Like, I have their photos, contact information, I have provided documents to investigators.”
When it comes to cryptocurrency, tracking money is incredibly difficult.
“One of the problems with such scams is that once the money is withdrawn, there are infinite methods that it can be broken; it is very difficult to trace,” Ipola said.
The speaker corner began talks through WhatsApp, the person who has accused him of taking his money. While the person initially replied, as soon as we asked for the comment, they cut the conversation.
“I am sure he is on the next victim,” Ang said. “And it’s sad, is there no way to track him and at least he has faced these allegations in court?”
While the Toronto police assured that they were working on the case, they have not said whether they are close to finding the person responsible.
“These types of scams are skyrocketing,” said Ang. “And as long as there is more investigative power to go after these people in Canada, they will continue to grow simply.”
Ifola, who works with hundreds of scam victims, says the road is very difficult for justice.
“I have noticed that more results come from private cyber hacking vigilance or private asset recovery firms, who are from my victims, who have really dealt with the police in any meaningful way,” he said. “If anything, what we have learned from public reporting, what the police is doing, they are much better in finding the cell, organized crime groups, bring them for prosecution, but otherwise it is not getting your money back because the money has gone as far as the police is concerned, it has gone.”
Ang, who has now lost his life savings, has worked for years to deposit, decided to speak to warn others. He says how long you talk to someone, or how deep you can think of you, walking carefully.
He said, “I cannot go back, but still it did not leave me, where I will not date again. I am still a reliable person, just not with finance,” he said. “I don’t know how I am going to overcome this situation. It dramatically affects my mental health. I know there are services for victims like you, but much of it is ready to help the police get back my money.”
“If this is an electronic thing, if it is all digital, do not send them money. Because if someone really loves you, they do not want to take you, they want to enrich your life, at least in the very early stages,” Ipola said.
If you have an issue, story or question, you want to see us, Contact us here