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The Upper Ottawa Valley detachment of the OPP is warning residents to be on guard against a growing fraud scheme in which criminals pose as bank investigators, police officers and representatives of major organizations to gain access to victims’ finances.
Police say the scams often target seniors and begin with a phone call or text message claiming suspicious activity has been detected on a bank account or credit card. Victims are then urged to take immediate action as part of what fraudsters describe as an ongoing investigation.
Investigators say victims may be instructed to withdraw funds, surrender bank cards or provide personal identification numbers to a courier sent to their home. The OPP stresses that legitimate financial institutions and police agencies will never request cash, bank cards or PINs as part of an investigation.
According to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, Canadians reported losses exceeding $28 million through similar schemes in 2025, though officials believe many incidents go unreported.
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(Richard Evans)
