TL;DR: Global News posted a story on June 6, 2025, updated October 21, 2026, about Barbara, 75, of Calgary, who lost $800,000, her life savings, to a man called “Michael Janda” she met on a dating site. After nearly a year of bank transfers she realised it was a scam. A private investigator traced mule accounts, and the banking ombudsman ruled in favour of her bank, TD.
What happened
Global News reports that during the pandemic Barbara, a lonely 75-year-old Calgary woman, joined an online dating site for the first time. She met a man using the name Michael Janda, whose profile said he worked in the oil and gas industry, as she had. They discussed marriage and buying a home in Victoria, B.C., and moved their chats to LinkedIn. She says she has nothing left except her RRIF.
How the money moved
- He claimed he was held in Doha, Qatar, with $1.5 million in cash and jailed by police, and later said he had been “locked up again” and could not come to Calgary.
- Over nearly a year she made several bank transfers, first to a trucking company in Ontario and then to an individual in the US.
- In November she realised it was a scam. She says the aftermath left her in a mental health unit in Calgary several times.
The investigator and the bank
She hired B.C.-based private investigator Denis Gagnon, who delivered a 400-page report six months later. He says the recipients are “mules” who keep a percentage and send money overseas; who is behind the scam remains unknown. The report went to the Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments (OBSI), which ruled in favour of her bank, TD. Barbara says TD has a responsibility to return some of her money. The article notes that in May 2024 Fintrac fined TD $9.2 million, and that CIBC and RBC were also fined in similar amounts; TD did not respond to Global News' request for a statement by the deadline.
The BBB's Wes Lafortune estimates only about 5% of these crimes are reported. The article does not mention a police investigation.
Red flags
- A partner who is always stuck abroad in jail, hospital or a legal problem.
- Money requests to companies or individuals instead of the person you know.
- A move from the dating site to another app such as LinkedIn.
- Large, repeated transfers over months.
If you are struggling after a scam, please talk to someone you trust, and read romance scam recovery steps. Report to the CAFC and see our reporting guide. Check how visible you are with our free digital footprint check. Our guides on elder fraud and protecting elderly parents can help families.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did Barbara lose?
$800,000 in Canadian dollars, which she describes as her life savings.
How did the investigator trace the money?
Denis Gagnon traced transfers to a trucking company in Ontario and an individual in the US, whom he describes as mules.
What did the banking ombudsman decide?
OBSI ruled in favour of her bank, TD, according to the article.
How much romance fraud is reported?
The BBB's Wes Lafortune estimates only about 5% of these crimes are reported.
Sources
- Global News: Calgary woman loses $800k in romance scam (posted Jun 6, 2025; updated Oct 21, 2026)
- Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC)