Halifax RCMP warn of romance, investment and bank scams across HRM

The RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment is warning residents of the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) about fraud after several unrelated scams were reported between March 4 and March 14, 2026. Police said victims in Middle Sackville, Lakeside, Head of Chezzetcook, Beechville, Eastern Passage and Fall River together lost hundreds of thousands of dollars to romance scams, fake investments, fraudulent banking calls and people pretending to be family members.

According to the RCMP, the offenders used social media, online ads, phone calls and video calls to gain victims' trust, pressure them and move money out of their accounts. Investigators do not believe the cases are linked, and the investigations are ongoing.

The reported frauds

Middle Sackville: romance scam (March 4)

A victim lost about $300,000 after forming a relationship with a person they met on Facebook. Police said the person claimed to be facing serious hardship, including a sick family member with high medical expenses, and asked for ongoing financial help. Over time, the scammer gained the victim's confidence and persuaded them to send large amounts of money.

Lakeside: online investment scam (March 5)

A victim lost about $25,000 after responding to a Facebook advertisement that appeared to show a well-known public figure endorsing an investment in gold. The victim sent money to a company and later learned it was fraudulent. When the victim tried to cut off contact, the scammers became increasingly persistent and pressured them to send more money.

Head of Chezzetcook: fake bank fraud department call (March 10)

A resident received a call from someone claiming to work in a bank's fraud department, who said the victim's online account had been compromised. The caller told the victim to send two money transfers of $5,000 each to a new account and promised the money would be returned within 24 hours. When it was not, the victim contacted their bank and learned the call was a scam.

Beechville: unauthorized credit card transactions (March 12)

A resident reported more than $20,000 in fraudulent withdrawals after reviewing their credit card statement. The transactions were discovered after the fact and reported to the RCMP.

Eastern Passage: investment and screen-sharing scam (March 13)

A victim lost about $8,000 after being approached online about an investment opportunity. Once the scammer had built trust, they told the victim to join a Zoom call, share their screen and open their online banking to create another account. While the screen was shared, the scammer set up a fraudulent payee and transferred money out of the account. The victim was told the money would be returned as part of a larger payout, which never happened.

Fall River: family member impersonation (March 14)

A resident lost $7,000 after a caller using an unknown number pretended to be their son and said he urgently needed money to pay off a debt. The caller pushed the victim to send three e-transfers to two separate email addresses. When the caller became aggressive and could not answer a personal verification question, the victim contacted their real son and confirmed the call was a fraud.

The RCMP has assigned the following file numbers to the cases: 26-34594, 26-35289, 26-37998, 26-39164, 26-39832 and 26-40728.

Warning signs police highlighted

The RCMP said fraud tactics change often, but many scams share the same warning signs: urgency, emotional pressure, secrecy and requests for money or sensitive information. Police advised residents to:

• Pause, hang up or log off when someone pushes them to act immediately.
• Verify investment offers, requests for help and family emergencies independently, using trusted contact information or known phone numbers.
• Never share banking credentials, one-time codes or identity documents with anyone who contacts them unexpectedly.
• Be aware that phone numbers and email addresses can be spoofed to look like a bank, government office or known contact.
• End suspicious calls and call their bank, credit card company or family member back using a verified number.

How to report

Anyone in Nova Scotia who has been a victim of fraud, or who has information about these or similar scams, is asked to contact the RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment at 902-490-5020 or their local police.

To report anonymously, contact Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers toll-free at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips mobile app.