A woman from the GTA is facing a fraud charge in connection with a prize fraud scheme that bilked thousands from a Niagara resident in 2021.

The scam happened earlier in 2021 when a victim received a phone call telling them they had won a multi-million-dollar prize said the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and Niagara Regional Police (NRPS) 

Investigators say the suspect asked for cash from an unsuspecting resident to cover fees to release the prize. The victim agreed and sent a first payment. Once the second request for money was made, they reached out to NRPS.

Detectives said in a release on Monday “at that point, the victim became suspicious and reported the incident to police.”

A 53-year-old from Caledon has been charged with fraud over $5,000.

The fraudster is set to appear in front of a justice in Orangeville at a later date.

OPP and NRPS are suggesting for residents to be careful of scams and report them.

“Any lottery or sweepstakes that asks for upfront fees is a scam,” investigators said.

“If you didn’t enter a contest, you didn’t win — no matter what you may be told.”

If you believe you have received one of these calls fraudulent calls, texts or emails, please report the incident to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or on the centre’s website.

This article was originally sourced by Global News.