Beware of fraudsters posing as police

West Shore

2023-12-13 12:04 PST

File # 2023-25242

On Dec 12, West Shore RCMP received a report from a West Shore citizen who advised they had been defrauded of money after receiving a phone call from someone posing as a RCMP officer.

The victim first received a phone call from a fraudster saying they were calling from Amazon and that the victims account was flagged for several fraudulent purchases. A few minutes later, the victim received another phone call from a fraudster posing as an RCMP officer. The fraudster told the victim their accounts had been compromised and to transfer money into a specific Bitcoin account.

We want the public to beware of this type of fraud. Under no circumstances would police ever direct you to transfer or deposit money into Bitcoin or other accounts etc., said Cpl. Nancy Saggar, West Shore RCMP Media Relations Officer.

Here are some tips on how to protect yourself against fraud:

• Don’t be afraid to say no and hang up the phone;
• Don’t give out personal information including banking information;
• Beware of spoofing, fraudsters have the ability to manipulate call display, making it seem as though a legitimate business or police are calling you.

Please see the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre website for a list of current frauds and how to protect yourself.

Released by:

Email: westshore_media@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
Website: westshore.rcmp-grc.gc.ca (English only)

Follow Us: