On March 3, 2021 the victim contacted the OPP Essex Detachment regarding a $1,600 fraud that had taken place two days prior.
The victim received an email to confirm a purchase on her account. She knew that she had not made a purchase so she called the customer service number provided in the email to discuss the error.
Over the course of the conversation the victim was asked for credit card and banking information. She was directed to download apps on her phone and eventually to a store to purchase gift cards and reveal the personal identification number (PIN) provided on the back. An alert clerk prevented any further transactions stopping the victim from any further loss.
Fraud is a multi-million dollar enterprise that will only end when the scammers stop making money. Your best defence is to verify any unsolicited contact. Unsolicited means that you didn’t ask for it.
While Fraud Prevention Month provides an opportunity to spread awareness, it’s important to be “scam aware” all year long. You work hard for your money, so work hard to protect it.
Anyone interested in more information on fraud can contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1 888 495 8501 or check online at antifraudcentre.ca/.
The Competition Bureau of Canada’s “Little Black Book of Scams” can be found here: competitionbureau.gc.ca/eic/site/cb-bc.nsf/eng/04333.html.
As soon as you hear an Indian accent on the other end, you know it’s a scam. These are mostly operated out of Kolcatta, but they have many mules in Canada as well.
Google. “Kitboga” or “Scambaiters” to watch You Tube vids of how these maggots operate!
Agree with you 100 percent