The South Simcoe Police Service is warning residents the bank Investigator scam is circulating in our communities.
In this scam, victims are advised of alleged suspicious activity on their bank account, credit card, or told their banking information has been compromised. The scammer, impersonating a bank official or police officer, asks the victim to help catch a bank employee who has been stealing money. Suspects trick victims into providing their own cash to assist the investigation. Victims are told to withdraw cash from their account and purchase gift cards to help catch the criminal. The scammer tells them not to let the bank teller know what they’re doing because the teller might be involved. Scammers bombard victims with information to cause panic, confusion and prompt immediate action. Often, callers pass victims to multiple suspects on the phone who pose as supervisors or police.
The South Simcoe Police Service is reminding residents that financial institutions or police will never ask you to help in a fraud or internal investigation. If you receive such a call from someone claiming to be from your financial institution or law enforcement, hang up and call police.
Remember, any request to purchase gift cards – for any reason – is a red flag and the source of all such requests should be verified. Unfortunately, there are many variations of the bank investigator scam. Always protect your personal information. Trust your instincts. If something sounds suspicious or too good to be true, it probably is a scam.
Please share this information and discuss this scam with loved ones. If you or a family member has fallen victim to this scam, report it to police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
