Over the past month, three Burnaby residents who’ve shared addresses and phone numbers on dating apps have been sent videos from fraudsters who say they are on their way to the victim’s house and will shoot them and their families if they don’t pay up.
Burnaby RCMP is warning people not to share personal information online after multiple reports of fraudsters on dating services threatening to drive to people’s homes and kill them if they don’t pay money.
Over the last month, local Mounties have investigated at least nine reports involving adults who were blackmailed for money after they shared personal information, such as phone numbers and home addresses, on personal dating services, according to a Burnaby RCMP news release.
Three of the cases involved the fraudsters sending a video that appeared to show them driving to the victim’s home with AR-15-style rifles while threatening to kill the victim and their family, the release said.
“The victims know they’ve added their personal information online. Coupled with this video, it makes this threat very real to them,” Burnaby RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Alexa Hodgins said.
But the same photos and video have been used in every case, and Hodgins said police don’t know if they were even captured in Canada.
The fraudsters follow up by sending the victims graphic photographs of dead bodies while continuing to demand money.
“We have seen romance scams before, but this one is unique due to the graphic and…
