Calgary man facing charges in B.C., Alberta romance scams
Posted Feb 23, 2022 12:39 pm.
Last Updated Feb 23, 2022 12:53 pm.
A Calgary man is facing a number of charges after police allege he swindled victims in Alberta and B.C. out of almost $25,000 through bogus tech and romance scams.
He’s not the Tinder Swindler but he accused of running a similar kind of scheme, which included taking women he met online out on lavish dates.
“It’s believed the money used to woo the women was obtained through the earlier fraudulent activity and was intended to groom the victims into trusting the man and giving him their money,” Calgary police said.
According to CPS, the man was first reported to them in 2020 after multiple people came forward in Alberta with complaints they had paid a man for electronics which were never delivered.
We have charged Bryan Christopher SYRYDA, 36, of Calgary, who is alleged to have swindled close to $25,000 from his alleged victims using a bogus tech scam, and also romanced several women in order to further his con.https://t.co/hJxd98JUnp@canstopcrime #yyc
— Calgary Police (@CalgaryPolice) February 23, 2022
Police say the victims reported he posed as an employee of various tech companies and could give them a discount.
In 2021, investigators say they were called about similar illegal activities being conducted in B.C.
Police say many victims convinced their family and friends to pay into the con, and to date the alleged victims have been located in Langley, Surrey, Delta, Cochrane, and Calgary.
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Police say he ended up getting close to $25,000 in total from victims, with some shelling out thousands of dollars.
Bryan Christopher Syryda, 36, is now facing a number of charges and police say more are expected to be laid.
He is expected to appear in court in March.
Anyone with information is asked to call CPS at 403-266-1234. You can also contact Crime Stoppers at 1.800.222.8477.
