The threat of fraudsters pretending to be the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) and police services is on the rise.
The warning comes from the CAFC, Ontario Provincial Police and Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Officials say scammers are using the centre’s letterhead and logo as part of the fraud or they’re spoofing police phone numbers.
In some cases, a fraudulent letter is emailed that may include the CAFC’s logo to try and convince the victim it’s a legitimate investigation.
Fraudulent contact information is also provided.
Some of the frauds involve fake bank investigators, tech support and fund recovery pitches.
The CAFC and police say they will never ask you:
- to transfer money or make a payment
- for remote access to your computer
- for personal information or any type of payment from you
Stats on the centre’s website show in the first five months of the year, $241 million was lost to fraud, there were over 13,300 victims and 18,000 reports processed.
Anyone who suspects they have been the victim of fraud is urged to contact their local police, the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or ontariocrimestoppers.ca.
You can also report to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre’s online reporting system or by phone at 1-888-495-8501.
