July 7, 2016
1509
TWO OLD SCAMS STILL GENERATING MONEY
(HURON COUNTY, ON) – Huron County PP members remind the public to be aware of two active scams that recently victimized two Huron County residents. These scams are certainly not new, but they are still proving to be effective.
The “Emergency Scam,” sometimes known as the “Grandparent” scam, targets vulnerable people and seniors by playing upon their emotions to rob them of their money.
An 83-year-old from Central Huron received an emergency call from someone who impersonated his nephew. The scammer proceeded to say he had been involved in a collision in Quebec and he needed $1,000 in bail money to get out of custody on an impaired driving charge.
The victim was concerned for his nephew so he immediately followed through and wired $1,000 to the scammer. Shortly thereafter, the scammer called back and requested an additional $1,000. At this point, the victim became suspicious so he contacted his nephew and confirmed he was safe and not in Quebec. The victim then realized he had been scammed and called police to report the matter.
Every year, "Emergency Scam" artists contact thousands of citizens and many people get scammed in their rush to help. Many victims are hesitant to say ‘no’ or to hang up on someone on the phone, which makes them easy targets for criminals to access substantial sums of money.
In 2014, five per cent of all complaints received by the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre were victims of the “Emergency Scam." Of those 1,977 complaints, 737 people were identified as victims who reported a total loss of more than $2.4-million.
In another popular scam, a 70-year-old from Central Huron fell victim to the Microsoft Anti-Virus scam. July 4, the victim received an unsolicited call at home from a computer technician offering to update her computer to Windows 10 and to install an anti-virus software program.
The victim purchased the $199 package and allowed remote access to her computer. After allowing access to her computer, the computer crashed with a virus. She also received further calls from the scammer telling her that he was going to hack into her on-line banking accounts.
Keep yourself safe by watching out for these common warning signs:
Urgency - The scammer always makes the request sound very urgent, which may cause the victim to not verify the story.
Fear - The scammer plays on the victim’s emotions by generating a sense of fear.
Request for money transfer - Money is usually requested to be sent by a money transfer company such as Money Gram, Western Union or even through your own financial institution.
To avoid becoming a victim, the Huron OPP advises you to first check with another family member or trusted friend to verify the information BEFORE sending money or providing credit card information by phone or E-mail.
If you or someone you know suspect he/she has been a victim of the Emergency Scam or the Microsoft Anti-Virus scam, contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
LEARN MORE
OPP YouTube Emergency Scam video (English)
OPP COMMUNICATIONS CENTRES INUNDATED WITH CALLS RELATED TO CANADA REVENUE AGENCY SCAM
(HURON COUNTY, ON) – Last month, the OPP warned the public with regards to the ongoing Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) Scam that is running rampant throughout Ontario. It has now come to the OPP's attention that its Provincial Communications Centres are being inundated with calls from the public advising that they received one of these calls. It is not necessary to contact the OPP to report that you have received one of these calls unless you are a victim of fraud that can be attributed to this scam.
Any calls regarding the Canada Revenue Agency Scam should be directed to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or to the agency website at www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca. This website will provide an on-line means of reporting and offers great tips so that you do not become a victim of this or any other fraud.
Some of the communications centres are receiving 100 or more calls per day from people wanting to advise that they received one of these scam-related calls and, although your intentions are appreciated, it is these calls which are at times restricting the OPP’s ability to take calls for service from the public that require a police response.
The following link to the Canada Revenue Agency website will assist in recognizing this and other scams that are plaguing Canadians: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/nwsrm/lrts/2015/l150610-eng.html
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