DANA SIPPRELL

DANA SIPPRELL

My name is Dana Sipprell, and I am proud to be an Iranian-Canadian. 

I moved to Canada when I was 20 and moved to a small city called Vancouver Island in British Columbia a few years ago. I am married and have three adorable little dogs. 

I have degrees in Information Studies and used to work as a personal trainer and fitness instructor. In September 2000, I received a friend request from someone with the same first name as my old Chinese friend whom I had lost contact with. 

Since I had lost touch with many friends after moving to Vancouver Island, I was happy to hear from my old friend. However, the person who sent the request didn't have a profile picture, and I soon discovered he was entirely someone else. Instead of unfriending him, I decided to keep talking to him. 

 He told me he was from Korea but grew up in Texas. He claimed to be a divorced father with a 13-year-old daughter, working as a surgeon doctor with a U.N. Contract in Lebanon. Unfortunately, one thing led to another, and I ended up getting scammed. 

 The situation involved four people, making everything so complicated that I didn't have time to think. I heard the word scam from the big boss; he told me they all are from Nigeria and asked me to go on the Internet and see how they operate. 

 I feel incredibly fortunate to have discovered ScamHaters United and to have had the privilege of meeting Ruth Grover, The founder of ScamHaters Untied. She has been by my side throughout my recovery journey. With the daily support of the entire team, my understanding of the subject has grown exponentially. On the one-year anniversary of falling victim to the scam, I felt ready to join the team.

 It became clear that the emotional impact of being scammed outweighed the financial loss. I have emerged as a stronger individual through intensive weekly counselling sessions, extensive research, and the opportunity to connect with other victims’ families. I have come to realize that this is my new path. I aspire to be the voice for countless individuals who have fallen prey to scams due to a lack of awareness. 

I also advocate for victims of identity theft and families desperately seeking ways to help their loved ones escape these fraudulent schemes. I am more than willing to assist anyone in need. Lastly, I would like to express my deep gratitude to Ruth for entrusting me as part of the ScamHaters United warriors and for her invaluable guidance and support. Dana!