The world health crisis has made it more difficult than ever to meet new people. In response to the challenge many have turned to dating apps to make friends, and possibly even find that special someone. Those living in Calgary had better be extra careful, however, as it seems like an unscrupulous stranger is taking advantage of those looking for love.
Blaire Wortley is the latest to have encountered the now notorious 36-year-old named Bryan Christopher Syryda. Calgary police say the Tinder swindler has scammed around $25,000 out of hopeful ladies, all of which were just hoping to make a romantic connection. His scam involves taking money in exchange for discounted tech, though apparently is willing to go to some length to establish trust.
A Long Running Deception
Local police first heard about the mysterious Syryda in 2020, proving that he certainly has dedication. These first reports explained that the con artist claims to work for electronics companies, adding that he can get impressive group discounts. Naturally he does not work for any tech companies and disappears after a sizeable sum has been handed over. His favorite haunts seem to be Tinder, Bumble and Plenty of Fish.
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Wortley explains that she moved to Calgary a few months ago. Upon arriving it was in the midst of the latest world health crisis wave, and she had few options when it came to making friends. That’s why she turned to Tinder. She elaborates that after initially matching with the scammer, he seemed like a nice guy. She even spoke to him on the phone for hours and had no reason to believe he was anything but a pleasant, honest person.
He often treats his victims to a dinner according to local police, which is part of his MO. Spending money on the ladies is a way to establish trust.
Striking For The Big Score
In the case of Wortley, however, he didn’t even pay for the dinner. She explains that he asked her to pay but promised that he would give back the cash later. He never did, and that’s what started to make her suspicious. She quickly did a bit of social media investigating and found reports of other women being scammed.
Understanding that she had narrowly avoided being a victim, she decided to set up a Facebook page as a warning to others. It wasn’t long after that she discovered he had been scamming for years. His long list of victims extends across Canada, including even his own friends and family.
Wortley stressed that the Netflix documentary, aptly titled the Tinder Swindler, has made getting scammed by online dating something of a joke. But, she concluded, there is nothing funny about it when it happens in real life.
