Romance scams are among the most common scams in Canada. According to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, Canadians lost more than $50.3 million in 2023 alone.
A romance scam occurs when scammers build fake romantic relationships to manipulate victims into:
These scams often happen online through dating websites, social media, or messaging apps—where perpetrators use emotional manipulation and false identities to gain trust before financially exploiting their victims.
Romance scams are a form of economic abuse—a tactic of coercive control that restricts a victim’s financial independence and stability.
Much like intimate partner economic abuse, scammers create:
Victims often suffer severe financial loss, debt, and psychological distress, making recovery and seeking support even more challenging.
In March 2025, the Canadian Centre for Women’s Empowerment (CCFWE) hosted a national event during Fraud Prevention Month, shining a spotlight on the hidden harms of romance scams.
These scams not only exploit emotional vulnerability but also lead to devastating economic abuse, stripping individuals of their financial independence and security.
The event featured an engaging expert panel of researchers, advocates, and survivor support specialists. Together, they unpacked:
Victims Advocate, Founder of The Woman Behind The Smile, Inc and Chair Board of Directors, the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams (SCARS.)
Entrepreneur, International Speaker, Best-selling Author, Debby is a woman on a mission. In her book, “The Woman Behind The Smile” she shares her personal experience with a “love” that turned into betrayal and financial disaster and she removes the mask of shame and shows others how to do the same. In addition to media interviews, financial institution webinars, Debby has recently worked with Verafin/NASDAQ in presenting a “victim’s side” of financial fraud.
Debby first appeared in the Palm Beach Post and has appeared on The Dr. Oz Show, CBS This Morning, The Mel Robbins Show, The Tamron Hall Show, WPEC CBS Channel 12 and WPTV NBC Channel 5, in addition to being featured on National Geographic’s Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller.
Debby’s background is diverse from working as a paralegal and Senior bank branch manager to being a U.S. Air Force Intelligence Officer serving at the Pentagon and with The Defense Intelligence Agency. She is President of BenfoComplete.com, a vitamin supplement company serving clients with diabetes and neuropathy.
Debby’s focus and passion is seen in educating and supporting survivors of online relationship fraud through SCARS, a crime victims’ assistance & crime prevention nonprofit organization providing services & support for scam victims worldwide.
Julie S. Lalonde is an award-winning women’s rights advocate and public educator based in Ottawa. Since the early 2000s, Julie has been working to improve the lives of women and girls in Canada with a focus on engaging bystanders to create communities of support. Her memoir Resilience is Futile: The Life and Death and Life of Julie S. Lalonde was published spring 2020 and won the Ontario Speaker’s award as well as being named one of the best books of the year by CBC Books and the Hill Times.
With over four decades in online security, moderation, and investigations. Michael Lawrie has been at forefront of internet safety since the early days of digital communities. As one of the first professional cyber-investigators specialising in forensics, he tracked hackers, shaped telecom security, and helped build the foundations of social media moderation. At BT, he founded the company’s first commercial security division, a foundation that later become a $5 billion global enterprise. Later, in his decade at OkCupid and Match Group, he pioneered safety initiatives, created their first Incident Response team, and developed industry-influencing policies.
Since leaving OkCupid with C-PTSD, he has focused on advocacy and reform, supporting former colleagues, contributing to legal action against Match Group, and working to elevate frontline Trust & Safety workers. Frustrated by industry groups that prioritize executives over workers, he is now building on online Trust & Safety workers. Frustrated by industry groups that prioritize executives over workers, he is now building an online safety workers’ advocacy network to address industry-wide challenges such as the relentless exposure to harmful content, low pay, and corporate indifference, while providing resources for mental health and job security.
A passionate educator, mentor, and ethical AI advocate, Michael continues to research the psychological toll of moderation while pushing for better protections for those keeping the internet safe.
William Moores is the Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Association for Financial Empowerment (CAFE), a non-profit and Canada’s premier leader in the financial literacy and counselling certification. Formerly known as the Ontario Association of Credit Counselling Services (OACCS), the association operates under a special statute, granting it legal recognition through its own Act. This legislation uniquely empowers CAFE to govern its members and uphold national standards in financial counselling, making it one of the only associations of its kind with formal standing in Canadian law.
With over 25 years of professional experience in the banking sector, computer and behavioural sciences, marketing, credit counselling, advocacy, policy reform, and professional certification, William is dedicated to ensuring that all Canadians—regardless of background—have access to the tools, resources, and ethical guidance needed to achieve financial stability. Without judgement. Without bias. William is proud to be a Newfoundlander, now residing in Ontario, a member of the 2SLGBTQIA+ and Neurodivergent community. William participated in the original working groups during the inaugural development of the Canadian financial literacy strategy and many legislative reforms that have helped to protect Canadians from predatory practices throughout his years of service. William fosters and encourages an authentic environment for community building, collective action and above all else, empathy and compassion.
Under his leadership, William has amalgamated the premier association in Canada, OACCS and the national, CACCS, into what is now CAFE. William’s vision has propelled CAFE into a recognized growing global human-first approach for financial literacy, with a representation of Accredited Nonprofit Agencies and individual Accredited Financial Counsellor Canada® (AFCC®) designees from a broad range of professions that truly represent the many facets, areas of client focus, and the unique cultural expressions that represent the very fabric of Canadian values. William’s work has been instrumental in promoting a human-first approach to financial literacy, emphasizing education without judgment and counselling rooted in compassion that supports the individual that exists beyond the numbers.
Have you or someone you know been impacted by a romance scam?
We’d like to hear from you. Your story can help raise awareness and prevent future harm. Contact us [email protected]
Would you like to collaborate on future events or support our work on economic abuse and financial safety? Contact us [email protected]
