A 74-year-old Nova Scotia widow says she lost more than $130,000 after developing what she believed was a genuine online friendship with a man who contacted her through Facebook. The case highlights the emotional manipulation behind relationship scams and raises questions about whether banks should do more when seniors send large transfers to unfamiliar recipients.A Nova Scotia widow is warning others after losing more than $130,000 in a relationship scam that began with a seemingly innocent Facebook interaction.

Lynn MacLeod, 74, of Kentville, said the contact started after she commented on a post about the Confederation Bridge. Her late husband had been an engineer from Prince Edward Island who helped build the bridge, and MacLeod wrote about how proud he had been to take part in the project.

A man replied to her comment, saying he was also an engineer and wanted to know more about the bridge. He later sent her a friend request, and the two began speaking several times a week. MacLeod said the connection felt like companionship at a time when she was living on her own.

The man eventually claimed he worked for a well-known oil company and suggested MacLeod could improve her financial situation by investing in it. Over several months, she sent more than $130,000 through e-transfers to what she believed was a legitimate email address.

Her family later confronted her and told her she was being scammed.

MacLeod said she was shocked and embarrassed by what happened, describing the loss as financially and emotionally devastating. With her bank account emptied, she said her church is now helping cover her rent while family members assist with basic costs.

Relationship scams, often referred to as romance scams, typically involve a fraudster building trust and emotional dependence before introducing a financial request. The request may be framed as an investment opportunity, emergency expense, travel problem, business issue, or other situation that appears personal and urgent.

In MacLeod’s case, the scammer appears to have used grief, shared interests, and regular communication to build credibility. The initial contact did not begin with an obvious request for money. Instead, it began with a personal conversation connected to her late husband and a meaningful part of her family history.

That pattern is common in relationship scams. Fraudsters often spend weeks or months developing trust before asking for money. By the time funds are requested, the victim may believe they are helping someone they know and care about.

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre says relationship and romance scams continue to cause major losses across Canada. In 2025, Canadians lost $63 million to romance fraud alone, according to the centre.

MacLeod believes her bank should have done more to protect her once large sums began leaving her account. She said a previous financial institution had contacted her after flagging an e-transfer to a new recipient, and she believes similar warnings should have occurred when tens of thousands of dollars were being moved from her account.

Royal Bank of Canada later told MacLeod the money had gone to scammers after she reported the fraud to the bank and police. She said the bank refunded about one-third of her losses, but she believes the full amount should be returned.

The bank declined an interview request from CBC but reminded customers not to send money to someone they have not met in person.

MacLeod said she is speaking publicly despite the embarrassment because she wants to prevent others from being victimized. Her case is another reminder that relationship scams are not simply financial schemes. They often exploit loneliness, grief, trust, and the desire for connection.

For seniors and their families, warning signs can include a new online relationship that quickly becomes emotionally intense, investment suggestions from someone met online, requests for e-transfers or cryptocurrency, secrecy around the relationship, or resistance when family members raise concerns.

The safest approach is to verify independently, avoid sending money to anyone not met in person, and involve a trusted family member, friend, or professional before making significant transfers connected to an online relationship.

The post Nova Scotia Widow Warns Others After Losing $130K in Relationship Scam appeared first on Canadian Fraud News Inc. | Fraud related news | Fraud in Canada.

Originally published on Canadian Fraud News.