Prime Video’s ‘ROMCON: Who the F**k Is Jason Porter?’ Exposes The Dark Side of Online Dating

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A new Amazon Original docuseries is delving into the dark side of online dating.

The two-part docuseries explores the tale of a romance scammer who operated for years in Toronto and the slow march towards justice. Billboard Canada presented the world premiere and featured an exclusive Q&A with the series’ main subject, Heather Rovet.

Billboard Canada recently rolled out the red carpet for the world premiere of ROMCON: Who the F**k is Jason Porter?, a gripping true crime docuseries that peels back the layers of a romance scammer in Toronto. The highly anticipated series made its debut at Toronto’s iconic TIFF Lightbox on June 12 as part of NXNE, followed by a second exclusive screening at Cinéma du Parc on June 16 in Montreal.

The two-part series plunges viewers into the harrowing real-life saga of Heather Rovet, a successful Toronto-based real estate broker whose world was shattered by a devastating romantic deception. What began as a seemingly loving three-year relationship with a man she knew as "Jace" unraveled into a cruel scam perpetrated by Jason Porter. Bringing Rovet’s story to the screen are director Henry Roosevelt, executive producers Allison Brough and Toby Dormer and co-executive producer Allyson Luchak.

As Rovet bravely recounts her experience, the series meticulously reconstructs the elaborate facade built by Porter, revealing the intricate web of lies, manipulation and financial exploitation he wove, not just with Rovet, but a string of other women as well. Even going to prison didn’t stop him. We learn that, after being released and adopting a new alias, he became a repeat offender.

Romance scams are one of the most prolific frauds in Canada, and it’s likely more than we know about. Due to the shame involved, many women don’t share their stories or report them to the police. But for Rovet, it was important to bring light to the issue.

The exclusive screenings provided a unique opportunity for attendees to engage directly with the themes and the subject matter of the series. The Toronto premiere featured a poignant and insightful Q&A session with Heather Rovet herself. Her candid responses offered a deeper understanding of the emotional toll of such scams and the arduous path to recovery and advocacy.

“I think a lot of women who go through this carry embarrassment and shame and have their own story even though they don’t know how to voice it,” said Rovet at an exclusive Q&A with Billboard Canada National Editor Richard Trapunski following the screening in Toronto. “So if by sharing my story, it can help people feel more comfortable to talk about it, that’s great. And I also hope that perhaps it can shine some light on the police and the criminal justice system.”

At both screenings, attendees were invited to share their own dating red flags, which offered a relatable and often humorous counterpoint to the series' more serious themes while serving as a communal guide to navigating the often-treacherous waters of online romance.

“People who treat customer service people poorly or their family poorly,” said one movie-goer.

“If he follows Andrew Tate,” said another. “And if he still uses Snapchat.”

While the world has more understanding of emotional manipulation tactics like gaslighting, digital deception is still very common on dating apps, Rovet said. She hopes the services adopt better screening techniques. In the meantime, she’s grateful for online grassroots groups on Facebook and other platforms. Still, she hopes her story can serve as a cautionary tale.

“If it happened to me, it could happen to anyone,” she said. “Don’t get too lovebombed, because you won’t see straight.”