Ontario Provincial Police are warning the pubic of fraudsters who are impersonating officers and using spoofed phone numbers that appear legitimate.
The OPP’s Southern Georgian Bay Detachment put out the warning Tuesday, saying officers are investigating a report involving a resident who received calls from individuals claiming to be police.
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“The callers advised the victim that their Social Insurance Number had been compromised and that fraudulent bank accounts had been opened in their name. The victim was directed to withdraw funds and deposit the money into a Bitcoin ATM as part of a supposed police investigation,” the force said in a news release.
“The phone number used by the suspects appeared to be associated with police dispatch, however, it was later determined to have been spoofed.”
Police will never ask for money, cryptocurrency or gift cards, or direct individuals to withdraw or transfer money.
OPP urge residents to remain vigilant and report any suspected fraud by contacting them and the Canadian Anti‑Fraud Centre.
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