(ESSEX COUNTY, ON) – March is Fraud Prevention Month and members of Essex County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are reminding area residents to be diligent while conducting transactions especially online or over the phone.
Recently individuals have been contacted via phone and the internet. Victims have lost varying amounts of money from hundreds of dollars to approximately $100,000.
Although suspects seem to be targeting the elderly, anyone can be targeted as so many transactions are completed via phone or computer.
Unfortunately, there are many who make a living from preying on honest and compassionate individuals. Don’t fall victim to their scams, be leery if you notice any of the following:
- 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. For instance they may say, “I am scared and I need help from you.” This causes the victim to feeling guilty that something may happen if they don’t do as they are being asked.
- Secrecy — The scammer pleads with the victim not to tell anyone about the situation, such as, “We are working to repair your account. You don’t need to contact the company.”
- Request for Money Transfer or Gift Cards — Money is usually requested to be sent by a money transfer company to the criminals, but gift cards are now the more frequently used, easy-to-liquidate alternative to cash.
Numerous fraud awareness videos have been posted on the Ontario Provincial Police on Facebook and Twitter page. We encourage you to visit the page and share the information for public awareness.
Anyone interested in more information on fraud can contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1 888 495 8501 or check online at http://www.antifraudcentre.ca/.
The Competition Bureau of Canada’s “Little Black Book of Scams” can be found here: https://www.competitionbureau.gc.ca/eic/site/cb-bc.nsf/eng/04333.html.
A video was posted on @OPP_WR by Provincial Constable Amanda Allen with a crime prevention message. Please share the message.
FRAUD
REGOGNIZE IT, REJECT IT AND REPORT IT!!