Upper Ottawa Valley OPP are raising awareness about fraud scams after an elderly Petawawa couple lost more than $100,000 in a matter of months. Between August and February, the couple was contacted by phone by a scammer posing as a law enforcement official. The suspect advised the victims that their credit card had been compromised. The victims then allowed the scammer to access to their computer and online banking. The couple also sent thousands in cash and personal information including void cheques and a photos of a driver’s license to locations in Canada, Europe and India. Several months into the scam the victims asked for their money back. When it wasn’t returned they realized they had been victimized and reported the matter to police. The incident remains under investigation.
The UOV OPP would like all residents to be wary of unsolicited calls from those claiming to be from a financial institution, credit card company, or law enforcement agency with messaging that their credit card and/or banking information has been compromised. The scammers create a sense of urgency and then often asks for the caller to confirm their credit card number, personal information, and/or send money for various reasons. The OPP would like to remind everyone to verify the legitimacy of any caller before providing any personal information over the phone and to avoid allowing third party access to your computer.
The victims also sent For tips on how to keep yourself safe from fraud, visit www.antifraudcentre.ca
(Written by: Kyle Robinson)
