Online dating scams not for the faint of heart, RCMP say

At least 56 Albertans have been targets of online dating scams this year a number the RCMP believes could be much higher.

As the internet becomes the method of choice for finding love, romance scammers are on the rise, RCMPwarn.

"Romance scams are a serious crime that can cause irreversible financial and emotional ruin for the victim," said Const. ScottNoseworthyin a news release.

Perpetrators of thescams pretend to be madly in love with their victims, and then, without ever having met face-to-face, convince them to send large sums of money, often using fake reasons such asmedical emergencies or a sick relative.

In total, the province's 56 victims lost$3.6 million.

Intense shame and embarrassment

Because victims of online romance scams often suffer from intense shame and embarrassment that prevent them from coming forward, the RCMP believes the number of actual victims is likely much higher.

"This is the type of crime that can completely destroy a person's life, especially for individuals over 50the most common age group targetedwho have less opportunity to rebuild and recover from the losses," Noseworthy said.