RCMP in Nanaimo say a Canada-wide warrant has been issued for a man accused of defrauding unsuspecting woman for thousands of dollars after meeting them through social media and online dating sites.
Jordan David Shepherd, 34, is wanted for seven counts of fraud under $5,000 relating to alleged incidents that took place in Nanaimo, Ladysmith and New Westminster between February and August 2017, according to police.
Investigators say Shepherd sometimes goes by the name Dave Rofter and befriends women in their mid-20s to early 30s on dating sites like Plenty of Fish.
"Within days, Shepherd will ask the female to deposit a cheque for him, in their account, for an amount ranging from $1,000 to $1,600. The cheque is written on his purported business account called On the Rocks Surveying," Nanaimo RCMP said in a news release.
Police say that after the women cash the cheque and hand the money over, Shepherd disappears and the bank then notifies them the cheque has bounced, causing them to be out the money.
"Some of the women who fell prey to Shepherd have taken to social media to warn other women of his actions. We too wish to warn others and hopefully encourage any victims who have not come forward yet to do so," said Nanaimo RCMP spokesman Const. Gary O'Brien.
Shepherd is from Nanaimo but may be in the Lower Mainland, RCMP say.
He's described as standing 6'1" tall, weighing approximately 230 pounds with blond hair and blue eyes.
He has a tattoo of a crown on his right wrist and another on his right upper arm that says "No Regrets," according to police.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call Nanaimo RCMP at 250-754-2345 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
