One again scammers have preyed on victims that are simply trying to help out others. Two recent scams, one in Goderich and one in Exeter are currently being investigated by members of the Huron County OPP Detachment.
Last week, 2 victims, one in their 80’s and one in their 80’s each sent out $4,000 cash to an address in Montreal, Quebec to help out someone that they believed had been involved in a car crash. One victim thought they were helping out a neighbour and the other victim thought they were dealing with a grandchild. In both instances the victim proceeded to send cash to the address in Quebec.
Typically the caller will desperately explain that they were involved in some sort of collision, mishap or are having trouble returning from a foreign country and need money “right away”. They will rely on your love of your family/friends and will gain your trust to keep the matter secret.
Fraudsters pressure people into wiring money, sending cash or purchasing gift cards which they turn into cash by cloning the card. Once you wire or send the information on the gift card, your money is gone.
Warning Signs:
Urgency – the scammer always makes the request sound very urgent, which may cause the victim to not verify the story
Fear – The scammer plays on the victims emotions by generating a sense of fear.
Secrecy – The scammer pleads the victim not to tell anyone about the situation.
Request for Money Transfer or Gift Cards – Money is usually requested to be sent by a money transfer company to the criminals, but gift cards are now the more frequently used, easy to liquidate alternative to cash.
March is Fraud Prevention Month – An opportunity to work together to create greater awareness and to highlight the various ways that all Canadians are being targeted by fraud.
If you do fall victim to a fraud or know someone who has, we urge individuals to contact your local police service and the Canadian Anti Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or online by way of the Fraud Reporting Service even if a financial loss did not occur.
