Online dating scams are now among the most common ways to lose money to fraud

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Blaire Wortley met a man on dating app Hinge in September 2021. He was smart, successful and said all the right things.

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“[He was] very charismatic, very outgoing and to the point, seemed to know what he was looking for … Having someone who seemed very engaged and asking the questions and keeping my attention was very appealing,” said Wortley, who lives in Calgary, Alta.

She became suspicious after the man failed to e-transfer her money for a dinner date that he insisted he would pay for. After some social media stalking, her friend came across a photo of his ID on Facebook — with a comment underneath from a woman who claimed to have been scammed by him.

A booming business

Worley says she soon discovered that he was targeting single white women in their 30s, and had convinced them to send him money for things like tech deals or lavish vacations.

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While Wortley only lost $90 from her dinner date, she says other women allege they got scammed by the man for $2,000 to $3,000 on average.

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