Montreal police are trying to track down an online lothario who they believe is linked to several recent fraud complaints.
Police say the man would meet women on dating sites like Tinder and Badoo and use the same modus operandi to steal more than their hearts – but their money, too.
Using the aliases Hugo Guérin, Samuel Guérin, Sam Guérin or Valentin, he would tell his dates he was 23 or 24, and a newly arrived student to Canada.
Claiming he needed to buy furniture and didn’t yet have a bank account set up in Canada, he asked the women to deposit his government cheque into their bank account – only as he prepares the envelope, he used sleight of hand and never inserted anything inside.
His victims would drop the empty envelope into their bank’s ATM and in turn withdraw the money for him.
In some cases, police say he also stole their wallet and cellphone.
He contacted the women with the cell number 438-345-5180.
The suspect police are looking for is white, about 23 years old, and is 1.86 metres (or 6′ 1″) tall.
He has brown hair, brown eyes and has a crown tattooed on his right wrist. Police say he often arrived for dates with stubble on his face, wearing pale jeans and white shoes.
Anyone with information about this case or who may have been a victim is asked to contact the Montreal police InfoCrime line at 514-393-1133. All calls are confidential.
