Wellington North resident loses $500,000 in online investment scam

WELLINGTON NORTH – An Arthur resident has lost $500,000 after falling victim to an online investment scam.

Wellington County OPP say the person began transferring money to a purported online investment firm starting in February.

“When the victim requested to cash out their investment, the fraudster suddenly disappeared — phone numbers were no longer in service, and emails went unanswered,” police said in a press release.

The scam was reported on Aug. 18.

Now police are again warning residents about online fraud, and urging people to use caution when online.

Anyone who has been a victim of a such an incident can contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122.

Resources

Little Black Book of Scams detailing different scams and how to respond to them can be found online by clicking or tapping here.

If you are the recipient of a fraudulent call, text, or email, or if you have been a victim of a fraud, you can report the incident to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre by calling 1-888-495-8501 or visiting the Anti-Fruad Centre website.