Airport warns about catfishing as people arrive to meet loved ones who don’t exist

Leaders at an airport in central Newfoundland are warning residents after staff began seeing a troubling pattern involving people who appear to have been deceived through online relationships.

Reg Wright, the chief executive officer of Gander International Airport, said Monday that employees have recently encountered a growing number of travelers arriving at the airport expecting to meet someone they connected with on the internet. In each case, the person they believed they were meeting never actually existed.

Wright explained that many of those affected tend to be older adults, often people who have lost a spouse. He said the situation is deeply upsetting for both the victims and the airport workers who must explain that they have likely been targeted by a scam. Because of the increase in these incidents, the airport issued a public warning on social media last week encouraging people to look out for friends and family members, especially seniors, and to be cautious when forming relationships online.

He said people who are feeling isolated or lonely can be particularly vulnerable to this type of manipulation. Wright encouraged families to pay attention if a relative becomes heavily invested in an online relationship and to ask questions about the person they are communicating with.

The type of fraud involved is commonly known as catfishing, where someone creates a fake identity online to mislead another person, often with the intention of asking for money. Wright said airport employees encountered six suspected victims in just the past month. Some of those individuals approached staff carrying what they believed were travel details for the person they were expecting to meet, including flight numbers that turned out to be false.

Many arrive at the airport well dressed and full of excitement, believing they are about to meet someone they have developed a meaningful connection with. Instead, employees must inform them that the flight information is not real and that no such passenger is arriving.

Wright said that in nearly every case, the victims had already sent money to the individual they were communicating with online.

In one recent incident, an airport staff member spent several hours assisting a woman who had been deceived, attempting to locate relatives who could help get her home safely. Wright said they were unable to reach any family members.

He believes the cases seen in Gander likely represent a small example of a larger issue happening across the country.

Cpl. Jesse O’Donaghey of the Newfoundland and Labrador RCMP said he has also observed an apparent rise in online scams, including catfishing. While he did not have official data available, he said his experience suggests these types of crimes are becoming more common.

O’Donaghey noted that many victims are so ashamed or emotionally shaken that they keep the situation secret from their families, even when they have lost large amounts of money. He advised anyone who suspects a loved one may be involved in such a scam to speak with them and help them end all communication with the person involved.

He said those conversations should be handled with empathy because scammers often spend long periods building trust with their targets. By investing weeks or months in creating a relationship, they make it difficult for victims to recognize that the connection is fabricated.

O’Donaghey also urged people to be cautious if an online partner continually avoids meeting face to face. Scammers often claim to be dealing with sudden emergencies and then ask the victim to send money.

According to him, these schemes can be complex and carefully orchestrated, which is why they are often successful.