New National Initiative to Protect Rainbow Seniors from Online Dating Scams
[Toronto, ON] — In response to the growing number of online dating scams targeting older adults, a national initiative from the Open Digital Literacy and Access Network (ODLAN) is launching to protect a uniquely vulnerable population in Canada: rainbow seniors—a term that refers to Two Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer older adults.
In 2022, Canadians lost more than $530 million to fraud, with romance scams increasingly involving cryptocurrency and explicit content extortion. While older adults in general are heavily targeted, rainbow seniors face unique risks and barriers to reparations, including shame, fear of law enforcement, and a lack of culturally affirming support resources.
To address this critical gap, the Safeguarding Rainbow Seniors from Online Dating Scams project—currently in development with partners including Senior Pride Network Canada and the Rekai Centre—will gather first-hand accounts from rainbow seniors and their loved ones to create short-form educational videos. These videos will spotlight real-life scam scenarios, highlight warning signs, and offer tools for prevention and recovery—all available for free on the Odlan.ca website and through the ODLAN YouTube page.
The project is expected to launch publicly in Fall 2025. To be notified of the release of the videos and other project updates, sign-up for ODLAN’s newsletter here.
This project has been made possible by the Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program.
About ODLAN:
The Open Digital Literacy and Access Network (ODLAN) connects organizations with solutions to bridging the digital divide in 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. Our mission is to advance safe, accessible, and inclusive digital spaces for 2SLGBTQIA+ communities
Interview/Quote Availability:
Vivian Lee (she/her)
Director of Education & Strategy
[email protected]