The Bracebridge Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is warning the public about further fraud activity.
Bracebridge OPP officers investigate many reported frauds throughout the year and on January 5, 2026, received a report of a newer tactic being used by scammers. The victim described that they received a phone call from a person they believed to be a representative from their banking institution, not only did the caller seem knowledgeable, but the number on the victims call display matched their bank. The scammer was able to convince the victim that their account had been compromised and that a courier service was going to attend the victims residence and retrieve the associated bank card. A person did attend the victims address, collected the victims card and then went on to drain several thousand dollars from their account.
OPP say the victim lost about $5000.
Fraudsters put a great deal of effort into the tactics used to steal money from victims. In most situations it involves the use of technology and the transfer of data or digital funds, and this recent report of a person showing up at the victim’s residence is a cause for additional concern.
Scammers can target anyone, here are some tips to help protect yourself:
- Don’t be afraid to say no
- Slow things down and verify all information with a trusted source
- Don’t give out personal information including your address, birthdate, social insurance number or credit card/banking information
- Protect your computer and watch for urgent looking messages
- Protect your online accounts and choose strong passwords
- Recognize spoofing- fraudsters have the ability to manipulate the phone number appearing on your call display or text messages, even email addresses.
- Never click on links received via text message or email.
This investigation is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to call Bracebridge OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at www.crimestopperssdm.com.
For more fraud facts and figures and a downloadable booklet (PDF), visit The Competition Bureau of Canada website at https://www.competitionbureau.gc.ca/eic/site/cb-bc.nsf/eng/home or by visiting http://www.opp.ca, Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and Protect yourself from scams and fraud.
