Toronto police are searching for more victims after at least five people were allegedly scammed out of thousands of dollars by a man they met through social media chat groups and online dating platforms.
Police say in recent months, a suspect befriended victims online and eventually went to their homes in the Toronto area.
Once at the home of the victims, police say, the man would ask to use their cell phones to make a call. According to investigators, during that time the suspect would send electronic money transfers from the victims' phones to himself.
Police also allege that the man used credit card data he scrubbed from the phones to make online and retail purchases, including upwards of $2,000 in Uber transactions.
Police say they believe a combined total of about $30,000 was stolen from the victims that have come forward.
Jackson Luu, 20, was arrested last month and has been charged with 11 counts of theft under $5,000, 13 counts of possession of property obtained by crime, and 15 counts of unauthorized use of credit card data.
So far, five victims have spoken to investigators but Det. Jason Contant told reporters on Thursday morning that he believes there are more people who were swindled by the suspect.
The first incident was reported to police in November 2021 but Contant said that he believes the accused began targeting victims "way before that."
Contant appealed to anyone who may have been scammed to reach out to investigators if they haven't done so already.
"A common theme in this investigation is the level of manipulation these victims were subjected to," Contant said.
"Some of the victims targeted had learning disabilities and physical disabilities. In all cases, the victims were simply looking for some companionship and instead they were deceived for financial gain. Not only does this have a financial impact on the victims, but it also has a huge emotional impact."
Contant said he was "shocked" by how easy it was for the suspect to gain access to credit card and banking information by briefly using the victims' phones.
"Victims of this type of crime often are feeling embarrassed and humiliated and might not want to report it to police. No one should feel like that. It is my job to investigate and find those responsible," he said.
"If there is anyone out there watching today who may have been a victim and who is hesitant to come forward, I'd like to make a pledge to you. Your incident will be taken seriously and thoroughly investigated."
