The OPP Anti-Rackets Branch (ARB) and Serious Fraud Office Ontario (SFO), in concert with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) have provided another awareness newsletter in this annual Fraud Prevention Month campaign. This campaign is held every March to inform and educate the public on the importance of protecting yourself from being a victim of fraud. This year’s theme is impersonation, and focuses on scams where fraudsters will claim to be government officials, critical infrastructure companies, and even law enforcement officials.
Extortion scams are the most common type of fraud where impersonation tactics are used. In these scams, consumers and businesses can be contacted via phone, email and/or text message by fraudsters posing as police officers, government agents, bank employees and hydro company officials. Fraudsters may tell you that your Social Insurance Number (SIN) is compromised or linked to criminal activity and will ask for your personal information such as SIN, DOB, name, address and account balances. Fraudsters may call claiming to be Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). They try to make you believe that a package addressed to you was intercepted by Canada Post containing illegal substances. After asking you to dial 1 on the automated phone call, the fraudsters will ask for personal information and will request that you withdraw money and deposit it into a “safe account”.
Originally sourced by Muskoka411.com.
