Police have received several calls advising of someone attending residences stating that they represent a roofing company. The resident is then told that the company flew a drone over their residence, noticed damage and is willing to repair the roof. The deposit is collected and that’s the end of the scam. No person returns to do any repair. The resident hears nothing further from the company.

How to protect yourself:

• When someone solicits at your door, never sign any documents or hand over any payment without consulting family members or fellow neighbours
• Never sign any documents or make payment on any deal when the salesperson states the deal must be completed now
• If the person at your door causes you to be suspicious, call police

If you think you or someone you know has been a victim of fraud, contact the Ontario Provincial Police at 1-888-310-1122 or your nearest police authority and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501, or report online at antifraudcentre.ca.

The post West Parry Sound OPP Warns Of Local Scam appeared first on Muskoka411.

Robinson is the business owner and artist behind Muskoka Knits. She launched her business during COVID as a way to make money from home while caring for her daughter. Her business exploded in a way she never expected with over $100,000 in sales and projects lined up through October of this year. She started working 18-hour days making sweaters, toques and other items that were shipped worldwide. With over 3,400 followers, Facebook was her primary business platform until hackers took over her page in December. 

“It literally has shut my business down overnight,” Robinson said. “I’ve not had one sale since December 18th. It’s the only way I can sell my product because it’s all custom orders.”

Robinson received an alert to reset her password, but the message didn’t really come from Facebook and gave hackers access to her account. Though she also has an Etsy page and website, her entire customer base was built up through Facebook.

Etsy, and the internet in general, has knitters from all over the world selling sweaters, so her Facebook page was a place where people interested in her particular skills and products could keep up with her work, she said. She struggled for years trying to find a way to work from home, and after putting so many hours into her business, she’s devastated to see everything come to a halt.

“I have no way of generating any further income because it’s all based on my online business [on] Facebook,” Robinson said. “That’s where my thousands of people are. That’s where my orders come from, so my income now is zero.”

Robinson felt sick to her stomach when she found out what had happened to her account. Not only did she lose access to her page, hackers also created posts on child sexual exploitation to trigger Facebook’s community standards and get the page disabled. Because it was connected to her Facebook page, she also lost her Instagram account.

Once her page was disabled and removed, hackers used the payment method from her previous ads to buy nearly $800 of their own sponsored content. Despite daily efforts, she couldn’t get in touch with anyone from Facebook’s support team.

“Facebook does not run their business side of Facebook any different than personal,” she said. “They don’t have any technical support. When you’re literally disabled from your account, there’s no way of contacting anybody.”

Robinson was able to dispute the charges with PayPal and get her money back, but her page is still gone. Since her messages and posts are inaccessible, she spent days reaching out to customers through text and cards in the mail, providing order updates and ensuring customers that she was still working on their products.

She’s tried to create a new account and business page multiple times and gotten booted off the platform. Her third attempt at remaking her page has just under 200 followers, so if she’s not able to get her original page back, she’s hoping that at least the new page won’t get taken down.

Muskoka411 News reached out to Facebook for their comments regarding the issue on Jan. 24. A spokesperson from the corporate communications team at Meta, Facebook’s parent company, said on Jan. 25 that their team is investigating the removal of Muskoka Knit’s page. The representative would not answer questions regarding how common these issues are or how users can get in direct contact with the support team, instead offering an automated form.

“The best course of action if someone suspects their accounts have been hacked is to visit facebook.com/hacked and follow the steps outlined there,” said the representative in an email to Muskoka411. “We encourage people to turn on two factor authentication to prevent similar hacks from happening, and to visit our Help Center for tips and best practices to keep their accounts secure.”

Along with setting up two-step verification, Robinson encourages other business owners on Facebook to ensure they have their photos and other information saved elsewhere. Though the future of her original page remains unclear, she wants her customers to know that she’s not going anywhere.

“I just want them to know I’m still here,” Robinson said. “I haven’t taken off with people’s money. I’m still a local business. I can’t have a Facebook platform right now, but I’m still here.”

The post Muskoka Business Owner Warns Others After Losing Facebook Page To Hackers appeared first on Muskoka411.

Multiple people reached out to Hospice Muskoka to inform them of the calls, Wray said, which is how they determined that their number was being spoofed. Spoofing is a practice where scammers manipulate caller ID to make it look as though calls are coming directly from trusted contacts or organizations.

“People have been receiving phone calls that look like they are coming from our main phone number, 705-646-1697, asking for credit card information for donations,” Wray said. “We do not, have never and will never solicit money from our donors or anyone in the community in this fashion.”

The team at Hospice Muskoka has reported it to the police and the OPP have opened a fraud investigation. Anyone who receives a call like this is encouraged to call the Bracebridge OPP at 705-645-2211, press 2 to speak to an officer and reference OPP Report #E 2109 909 52.

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre urges Canadians to protect themselves by never giving out personal details like credit card information on unsolicited calls. Many of Hospice Muskoka’s clients and donors are seniors, Wray said, so the staff asks that locals spread the word and check in with their elderly loved ones to warn them of the scam. 

“Hospice Muskoka lives and breathes from donations,” Wray said, adding that they rely on donor support for about 45 per cent of their budget. “If people want to continue to give during this season, there is a secure platform through CanadaHelps that they can access on our website, but we will never ever, ever, ever call and ask for your credit card number. That is not us.”

The post Scammers Posing As Hospice Muskoka Ask Locals For Credit Card Information Over The Phone appeared first on Muskoka411.

The RCMP was notified that the London detachment’s phone number was “spoofed” and used by the callers to coerce the victims into providing personal information such as their Social Insurance Number (SIN). These callers are also telling some of the victims that they are under investigation by the RCMP and that they will be arrested, unless they transfer large amounts of money within the next few hours.

Spoofing occurs when a caller identification (caller ID) or call display are manipulated to show trusted phone numbers. This tricks people into answering the call and believing they are speaking with a trusted source¹. Do not use call display as a way to authenticate who is calling. Fraudsters may use a variety of other telephone scam tactics as well. The scams are designed to create anxiety so that victims respond by sending money quickly in order to fix the problem.

If you receive unsolicited calls that are coercive or threatening and claiming to be police or any other government department, don’t panic don’t react, hang up. Police services in Canada including the RCMP do not contact individuals via email or telephone for the purpose of collecting fines or money. Don’t give out personal information on unsolicited calls such as your name, address, date of birth SIN or credit card information.

The RCMP is issuing this media advisory to warn the general public of this activity. If you have received similar telephones calls or know of someone who has, please contact your local police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) at 1-888-495-8501 or through its website.

The post Scammers Spoofing RCMP’s Telephone Number appeared first on Muskoka411.

Details: An 84 year old female was contacted by a male claiming to be ‘Corporal Matheson’ of (a Police Service). He stated that her grandson had been arrested after a minor vehicle collision with his friend where drugs were located in the vehicle. In order for him to be released she had to provide $10,000.00 in cash. The female spoke to her grandson who told her he was sick and was on his way for a COVID test when the accident occurred explaining why he was stuffed up. The female provided the money which was picked up by a courier. The ‘officer’ called back the following day and informed her the charges were dropped but she would have to pay $12,000 for his fine. She did as instructed and a courier picked up the money.

Details: A 73 year old female was contacted by a male alleging to be her grandson and that he was arrested after being pulled over in a vehicle that was driven by his friend and drugs where located. The female requested to speak to the officer and a male identified himself as ‘Constable Johnston’. She was directed to withdraw $6,000.00 for bail which she did and was picked up by a courier. The following day the ‘officer’ told her an additional $9,000.00 would be required for the charges being dropped. The victim again obliged.

Details: An 83 year old female was contacted by a male who identified himself as ‘Corporal Matheson’ notifying her that her grandson was in custody as a result of a vehicle stop where drugs was located. She reported that her grandson got on the phone and sounded like him but was sick. He claimed he was on his way for a COVID test when the vehicle stop occurred. She was directed to withdraw $8,000 and leave it under her doormat and a courier would pick it up. The ‘officer’ called for better directions to her house at which time she said she was phoning her granddad and the male hung up the phone. Money was not picked up.

Similarities:

• Male caller claiming to be a police officer
• Elderly females who live in rural areas (two live alone, one with husband on a farm)
• Bail money is for grandsons who have been arrested with drugs in the vehicle that they were passengers in while on their way to get a COVID test
• “Grandson’s” get to talk to their grandmother in their congested voice
• Delivery services pick up the money
• Tell the bank the money is for renovations

Police will never:

• Demand money to have someone arrested released from custody
• Demand money for payment of fine
• Involve courier company to transport payment

If you or someone you know suspects they have been targeted by a phone call scam, contact your local OPP detachment, nearest police authority, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.

The post Locals Are Losing Thousands Of Dollars To The Grandparent Scam appeared first on Muskoka411.

Service scams may be categorized as any false, deceptive, misleading or fraudulent promotion or solicitation for services. These solicitations involve third parties that commonly make offers for telecommunications, internet, finance, medical and energy services. Additionally, this category may also include offers such as extended warranties, insurance and sales services. You may also want to refer to the following information link – Little Black Book of Scams from the Competition Bureau of Canada. https://www.competitionbureau.gc.ca/eic/site/cb-bc.nsf/eng/04341.html .

If you are signing any documents

Ensure that you are fully aware of what you are signing

Read fine print and look it over twice if needed

Ask questions if you don’t understand anything

Ensure you are provided a copy of any documents you sign

Never commit to anything that you are unsure of. You should never feel pressured to commit to a service immediately, and never hesitate to ask someone to leave your home. When in doubt, get a second opinion from another reputable source or company

Warning Signs and tips

Never give anyone remote access to your computer. If you are having problems with your operating system, bring it to a local technician

Beware of scammers advising you of an unauthorized charge on your credit card account and requesting your credit card number

Verify any calls with your credit card company by calling the phone number on the back of your credit card

Never provide personal information or banking details over the telephone unless you initiated the call

Beware of solicitations for products or services offering lower energy bills

Do your homework before hiring a company

Don’t be afraid to ask questions, and if you feel pressured, never hesitate to hang up or ask someone to leave.

For more information regarding ongoing scams in Canada or to report fraud, visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at http://antifraudcentre.ca/ ,Consumer Protection Ontariohttps://www.ontario.ca/page/your-rights-under-consumer-protection-act and to file a consumer complaint If you believe you have been a victim of fraud you can also contact the OPP at the non-emergency number of 1-888-310-1122

The post OPP Reminding The Public To Be Aware Of Service Scams appeared first on Muskoka411.

These emails are not from or in any way endorsed by the OEB. The OEB will not email you or call you about energy rebates unless you have reached out to us first.

If you receive an email promoting energy rebates, even if it includes the OEB’s name or logo, please be careful.

Beware in particular of emails that are sent from @energyassistanceprogram and that refer to the “Energy Assistance Program” or the “Assistance Program”. That entity is not affiliated with or endorsed by the OEB. Some emails include links to an energyassistanceprogram.org website. This is not an OEB website. We are also aware of emails that are sent from @ontariogreensavings.com that refer to “Ontario Green Savings” and that link to the energyassistanceprogram.org website.

There are Government of Ontario and OEB programs available to help customers with their energy bills.  Please visit the OEB’s website at oeb.ca/billhelp for information about the COVID-19 Energy Assistance Program (CEAP), the Ontario Electricity Support Program (OESP) and the Low-income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP).

No energy assessment, audit, inspection or home visit is needed in order to qualify or apply for any of these programs, nor do you need to purchase any goods or other services from any company. Beware of emails from any source that state or imply that these are needed in order to access CEAP, OESP or LEAP, or that state or imply that you can apply for these programs through their website.

Consumer Tips:

• If a company claims that an energy assessment or home inspection is required to apply or qualify for CEAP, OESP or LEAP, this is false.
• You should be cautious about sharing your personal information or utility account information with anyone.
• Know who you are dealing with. If someone calls you, ask for the name of the person you are speaking with, the company they represent and their telephone number.
• If you are concerned about any suspicious communications, you can contact us at publicinformation@oeb.ca or 1-877-632-2727 (toll-free within Ontario). You can also contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre toll-free at 1-888-495-8501.

SOURCE Ontario Energy Board

The post Beware Of Rebate Scams Pretending To Be From Or Endorsed By The Ontario Energy Board appeared first on Muskoka411.