Spot Romance Scams: Canadian Guide to Relationship Fraud

This article is part of a series offering practical advice on protecting the people and information you care about from fraud and scams. More columns will follow.

Being scammed online is painful, but it can be far more damaging when the deception takes the form of relationship fraud—when someone posing as a friend, confidant or romantic partner manipulates you for money or sensitive information. The emotional fallout can be as severe as the financial loss.

“What makes romance and relationship scams uniquely devastating is that victims lose both money and the emotional connection they believed they had,” says Julie Kuzmic, senior compliance officer for consumer advocacy at Equifax Canada. “There’s an extra layer of betrayal. People often feel deep sadness and shame, which can be difficult to move past.”

Reports indicate an increase in romance and investment-related relationship fraud across Canada, according to the Canadian Anti-fraud Centre (CAFC). Understanding how these scams operate and what to look for is essential to avoid becoming a target.

How relationship fraud usually unfolds

Relationship scams commonly begin with contact through social media, dating apps, email or text messages. Scammers work to establish trust—sometimes over weeks or months—by offering attention, sympathy and apparent intimacy. Their initial goal may be to get you to click a malicious link or to share personal details such as your email, address, birth date or banking information. Those details can be used for identity theft or to build a convincing false persona.

As the relationship deepens, the scammer invents increasingly urgent needs to elicit money or favors: a delayed paycheck, an unexpected medical bill, or an emergency involving a family member. Early requests are often for small amounts and may even be repaid to reinforce trust.

Once trust has been established, the scam often escalates into larger schemes, such as a fake investment opportunity—frequently involving cryptocurrency. Victims may be shown fabricated returns and encouraged to reinvest larger sums. Scammers sometimes allow victims to withdraw small “profits” initially to convince them the opportunity is legitimate, then push for bigger transfers. In the end the supposedly caring partner vanishes or the profile is discovered to be fabricated or a collage of stolen identities.

Common warning signs of relationship fraud

Watch for these red flags:

• Pressure and urgency: The other person repeatedly urges immediate action or asks you not to tell anyone.
• Too-fast intimacy: The relationship escalates emotionally very quickly, often with declarations of love or strong sympathy.
• Requests for money or financial help—especially through wire transfers, gift cards or cryptocurrency.
• Reluctance to meet in person, video chat, or speak on the phone; or excuses that prevent real-time contact.
• Inconsistencies in stories, photos, or personal details that don’t align with verifiable facts.
• Requests for personal information that goes beyond normal familiarity, such as copies of ID, account numbers, or banking details.

“A common tell is a persistent sense of urgency,” Kuzmic notes. Scammers rely on your desire to help and your fear of appearing rude. If you feel pressured, take a step back. It’s reasonable to pause, verify details and discuss the situation with someone you trust. With sophisticated AI tools available to criminals, the “person” you’re interacting with may not be human.

Practical steps to protect yourself

Use the same caution online that you would in the real world. Specific protections include:

• Be skeptical of unsolicited contacts on social media, dating apps, email or text messages.
• Never click links or open attachments from unknown or untrusted senders.
• Be cautious about investment offers that promise quick, risk-free returns—especially those involving cryptocurrency.
• Limit the personal information you share online and review privacy settings on social accounts.
• Verify identities by asking for real-time video calls, checking government IDs through secure channels, or confirming details with mutual connections if possible.

What to do if you suspect you are a victim

If you suspect relationship fraud, act quickly and follow these steps:

• Report the incident to your local police and to the Canadian Anti‑fraud Centre (CAFC). Professionals there are familiar with these situations and can advise on next steps.
• Contact your bank and any other financial institutions where you hold accounts to report potential fraud and to stop payments or transfers if possible.
• If you suspect your Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) account or other government services have been compromised, notify the relevant agency immediately.
• Temporarily lock or freeze accounts, update passwords, and enable multifactor authentication where available.
• Ask credit reporting agencies, including Equifax, to add a fraud alert to your credit file to help prevent unauthorized credit applications.

Consider a higher level of protection

For extra peace of mind, some people choose paid identity and cybersecurity protection services that monitor credit reports, scan for personal data on the dark web, flag suspicious activity on social media and offer identity restoration help if theft occurs. One such option is Equifax Complete Protection, a subscription service that bundles credit monitoring with web and social monitoring, device protection and identity restoration support.

Reporting and recovery resources

Reporting fraud helps investigators track scam patterns and can prevent others from being victimized. If you are targeted, file reports with the CAFC and local law enforcement, contact your financial institutions, secure or change compromised accounts, and request fraud alerts on your credit reports. Reach out for professional help—identity restoration services and legal counsel can assist in managing the fallout.

Sponsored content notice

This article includes a paid editorial that highlights a client’s product or service. The content was created by MoneySense with contributions from assigned freelancers and is intended to inform readers about fraud prevention options.

Further reading on fraud and scams

• How to protect yourself from identity fraud in Canada
• Why people keep falling for scams
• How to protect your devices against identity theft
• How to find trustworthy personal finance influencers
• How to protect your small business from fraud