SUPERIOR EAST OPP WARN OF FRAUDS – Online and Over Phone
FROM THE EDITOR: If only it were this obvious! Those committing telephone fraud can seem very official and convincing, if in doubt, contact the authorities and DO NOT provide personal information of ANY kind!
SUPERIOR EAST, ON -Recently the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Superior East Detachments have had several online and telephone frauds reported. In one instance a victim was telephoned and advised that it was Google calling. This is called the “Anti-Virus”, the victim was told his computer needed to be fixed immediately or the police would be attending their home. The caller requested access to the victim’s computer and a credit card number to pay for the “fees” to fix the computer.
The second complaint is a common one; the victim meets someone online through dating websites. There is communication back and forth and eventually the other person requires help financially. Whether this is sending money to someone or cashing a cheque for someone and sending a portion of the funds back to them. Eventually the cheque is found to be fraudulent and the victim will be required to repay the bank any funds that were supplied by the bank in relation to that cheque.
The OPP would like to remind the public that these and many more frauds exist. Victims are pressured to provide personal information, banking information, remote access to their computers or to make instant decisions about investments or purchases. This allows the scammers to commit identity theft, access bank accounts/ investments, or fraudulently use credit cards. The most common or latest frauds can be found on the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre’s website at www.AntiFraudCentre-CentreAntiFraude.ca.
