A Kelowna man is out a “significant amount of money” after sending it to a stranger he met online. Kelowna RCMP issued an alert Thursday after receiving a July 7 report of a man who had been scammed online. “Kelowna RCMP received a complaint from a Kelowna man who developed what he believed to be an online friendship with someone who portrays herself as a woman,” said Const. Mike Della-Paolera of the Kelowna RCMP. “This woman first told the gentleman she was in Ontario and then in a foreign country. The woman asked to borrow money to cover debts and unexpected expenses.” Const. Della-Paolera says the man “sent a substantial amount of money to help the woman.” He later demanded his money back and suggested she move to Canada. But the woman ended the relationship and never returned the money. “If the basis of the relationship is sending money to help a person out of the country you have not met, please be careful,” said Const. Della-Paolera. The Kelowna RCMP has provided the following warning signs for this “shared internet program:”

Profiles that look too perfect Someone you’ve never met professes their love for you and tries to discourage you from telling family or friends about the relationship They will get irritated or upset if money is not sent They may introduce you to their family to legitimize the relationship

“You can protect yourself by not giving out personal information, not accepting friend requests from people you don’t know, not investing in platforms you don’t know, protecting online accounts and never sending money to someone you have I did not meet”, Const. Della-Paolera said.