Police in Halifax Nova Scotia are warning people of a new scam involving the smartphone chat app WeChat. This new WeChat scam involves the victim being tricked out of a good amount of money invested into gift cards. The scammers are connecting with people on WeChat and asking victims to buy them gift cards or online shopping credits in exchange for sexual favors. The scammer then ask the victim to give them the gift card numbers before meeting them but then leaves the victim hanging.

So far Halifax police say they have had three complaints and are asking people to step forward if they’ve been scammed. Some people may not be stepping forward for fear of embarrassment or other personal ramifications. Police are encouraging victims to try and overcome the embarrassment so they can help catch the people involved and stop others from being swindled. Halifax police have a few tips for those who date and meet people online.

Remember you do not really know who the person is when you contact or agree to meet someone online.

Dating sites: Ensure you understand the privacy policy of the site and enable security features to protect your profile.

Guard your identity: Remain anonymous until you feel comfortable disclosing more information.

Never disclose personal information. Do not provide your last name, address, workplace, phone number or any other identifying information when corresponding online.

Never disclose credit card, banking information or any payment receipts that may have personal details such as PIN numbers.

Do not provide your address under the guise of receiving gifts or flowers.

Police are asking victims or anyone with knowledge of the crimes to call 902-490-1985 and report their findings.

Have you been a victim of an online or app scam? Let us know in the comments below, or on Google+, Twitter, or Facebook.