Sarnia police are reminding the public this Valentine's Day not to fall victim to romance scams.
Typically, the fraudster pretends to be in love with the victim to gain their trust so they can empty their bank account.
Constable John Sottosanti said in a lot of cases, the suspects are from foreign countries pretending to need money in order to meet up with a victim.
"A lot of times the people that do fall victim to it, unfortunately, are solitary people who are not in a relationship," said Sottosanti. "Anybody trying to do that to you, in a romantic scam or another scam that's asking for money, then asking for it back... that should be a no brainer."
Constable Sottosanti said never give personal details like birth dates, addresses, or financial information to anyone online or in person.
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre said Canadians lost over $22 million in romance scams in 2018. The organization said it's the number one source of fraud in terms of money lost.
