'He told me he fell in love with me': Canadian senior loses $20K to romance scam

Two sisters from Ontario travelled to Newfoundland to spend time with their mom after they learned she lost $20,000 to a romance scam.

Two sisters from Ontario travelled to Newfoundland to spend time with their mom after they learned she lost $20,000 to a romance scam.

"In late July, we were contacted by a relative who said our mother had been scammed," said Pauline Harnum, who went with her twin sister Paula Harnum. Both sisters now reside in Woodbridge, Ont.

They went to see their 77-year-old mother, Elaine Harnum, who lives in a small village in northwest Newfoundland. The sisters said their mother was feeling lonely after their father died, and that she had recently been treated for cancer.

"We believe what has happened was that my mother was caught at a vulnerable time, and the scammers can be quite convincing," said Pauline Harnum.

It all started when their mother received a Facebook friend request from someone she didn't know.

"He told me he fell in love with me when he saw my picture," said Elaine Harnum.

The man also said he was a widow her age, and before long, he was texting her day and night.