LONDON, ONT. -- A 33-year-old woman in Halifax, N.S. allegedly posed as a man from Texas to scam a St. Thomas, Ont. woman out of over $150,000.
St. Thomas police say they initially received a report in August 2018 from two brothers whose mother had recently died.
They reportedly found suspicious activity and over $150,000 missing from her bank account as they settled her estate.
Work by the force's computer forensic analyst along with records warrants uncovered that the woman may have fallen victim to a romance scam with an individual claiming to be a man from Texas.
St. Thomas police Chief Chris Herridge said in a statement, "Scammers prey on lonely, vulnerable people and leave a path of emotional and financial destruction in their wake.”
Investigators say suspicious iTunes purchases and cash transfers to a bank account in Halifax helped police locate the suspect.
A Canada-wide warrant was obtained on a charge of possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000.
On Monday, St. Thomas police detectives travelled to Nova Scotia where the 33-year-old woman was arrested.
She was transported back Ontario on Tuesday to face the charge.
Herridge added, “We are very proud of the hard work and dedication our staff put into this investigation...[and] relieved this has come to a successful conclusion and the fraudster is being held accountable for their actions."
