Online lovers warned of ‘catfish’ in weeds

This Valentine’s Day, Calgarians are being asked to look out for “catfish,” the online love scam in which fraudsters win the affections of their victims by pretending to be people they’re not.

The warning comes from the Better Business Bureau of southern Alberta and the East Kootenays, which says anyone could be a victim.

“It can happen to anybody,” said Sandra Crozier-McKee, president of the Better Business Bureau for the Calgary area. “It’s not new to us.”

Such scams made international news recently when it came to light that U.S. college football star Manti Te’o was apparently a victim.

Now, the Better Business Bureau is spreading the word about these online romance scams and emphasizing high-profile individuals are not the only ones being “catfished.”

The most recent numbers from the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre show that in 2011, romance scams were the highest grossing, with more than $12 million being lost. And, in March of that year, the CAFC noticed an uptick in scams in Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Exact numbers in Calgary are unknown, but Kathy Macdonald, acting sergeant in the Calgary Police Service’s crime prevention unit, said people inquire about these schemes on a regular basis.

“It could be anything from a fraud to extortion or some kind of cyber stalking situation,” Macdonald said.

“It’s hard to understand how big the problem is. It could be that people are unsure where to report it.”

Generally, any numbers associated with cat-fishing are estimates. Most people involved in these scams, also known as “sweetheart scams,” are shy to come forward.

“It’s a particularly tough scam for victims to come forward on,” Crozier-McKee said. “To be taken this way — in your heart and your wallet — is certainly a public embarrassment that would be particularly hard.”

The business bureau is asking people to be wary of online loves that only communicate via email or text message and are unable to meet face-to-face.

People should also watch for those who develop relationships quickly and ask for money more than once, raising the amount each time.

People should not send money to those they don’t know in person, Macdonald added.

While the business bureau hasn’t received any official complaints, they are prepared to take them. They can direct victims to the appropriate channels for taking legal action and have developed a website with Western Union, called Scam Stoppers, to prevent financial scams.