Telephone scam
On Oct. 23 police were contacted by a victim of a phone scam.
Wellington County OPP officials say the victim reported receiving a phone call at 6:30am from a man claiming to be from the Royal Bank of Canada.
“The male claimed that her Visa card had been compromised,” police stated in a press release.
“He then requested the victim attend the closest Western Union and wire a sum of money to the male. The male explained that this was the only venue for the RCMP to catch the culprits. The victim attended a Western Union and wired the sum of money.”
Police say the victim became suspicious when the male then called and requested she wire another sum of money.
“The victim attended her bank where she learned she was the victim of fraud,” stated the OPP press release.
“Modern, tech-savvy scammers have the ability to create very convincing scams. They won’t hesitate to use the name of a legitimate company in an effort to gain your trust and trick you into paying them.
“Always be cautious with unsolicited email, phone calls, letters, even visitors at your door. Always be certain who you are dealing with before you ever consider sending money or sharing personal information.”
Anyone who suspects a scam can contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or report online at www.antifraudcentre.ca.
