The Essex County Ontario Provincial Police is warning residents about an ongoing fraud involving scammers impersonating the Crown Attorney’s Office.
In this scam, individuals receive phone calls from someone claiming to be from the Crown Attorney’s Office. The call display may appear to show a legitimate phone, and scammers may use the names of real Crown Attorneys or claim to be working with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
What the scammers say:
- You are a victim of identity theft
- You must urgently “verify” your identity or protect your funds
- You are instructed to make payments using so-called “government-approved ATMs” (often Bitcoin machines) or to deposit cash into a drop box
- You may be sent QR codes or documents that appear to be on official letterhead
It is important to note that members of the Crown Attorney’s Office and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre will NEVER contact you and direct you to make payments, withdraw cash, use Bitcoin machines, scan QR codes, or deposit money into drop boxes.
Once money is deposited into Bitcoin machines, it is extremely difficult, if not impossible to recover.
How to protect yourself:
- Be cautious of unsolicited calls, texts, or emails
- Do not trust caller ID alone as numbers can be spoofed
- Do not use phone numbers, websites, links, or QR codes provided by the caller
- Verify information independently using trusted sources
If you believe you have been contacted or victimized, contact the OPP at anytime at 1-888-310-1122 or if an emergency at 9-1-1.
Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or leave an anonymous online tip at www.catchcrooks.com where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.
