Barrie Senior Loses $200K in Cryptocurrency Scam

A Barrie senior lost around $200,000 to a cryptocurrency scam after an individual convinced him to invest in digital assets through social media.

The victim, who is 78 years old, began communicating with the individual in February 2025. Despite never meeting in person, the two developed a 'relationship' over months of constant communication.

The scammers gained access to the victim's accounts and transferred substantial amounts of his money into cryptocurrency accounts, which he had no access to.

Police say the funds were then transferred outside of Canada, making it 'extremely difficult if not impossible' to recover. However, investigators were able to work with the victim's bank to retrieve around $135,000.