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Multiple police forces as well as the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) are warning that online and telephone scammers are impersonating multiple police forces as well as the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, making it all the more difficult for people to know whom to trust. But they do have some tips to avoid being scammed.
According to a news release on Tuesday from the RCMP, the three most common impersonation scams are bank investigator, tech support and, more worrisome, the “recovery pitch.”
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In the third example, victims of an earlier fraud may be contacted again by fraudsters claiming to be from law enforcement or a government agency and asking for help with a “sting” operation to take down the scammers and retrieve the money.
Contact may come in the form of an email, which may include the CAFC’s logo. The letter will advise that the CAFC is investigating and that the recipient must cooperate to catch the suspect. It will provide fraudulent contact information, and claim that a temporary payment is required to assist with the investigation. Needless to say, any funds given will never be returned.
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More common fraud schemes may involve someone claiming to be an investigator from a bank, a credit card provider or a business such as Amazon. They say there are unauthorized charges on your account or that the account is compromised. They may demand credit card information or money for reimbursement fees, or as bait money to help catch a bad employee.
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Another common fraud is tech support, in which the fraudster claims a virus has infected your computer. They may request access to your computer and may run programs or alter settings. Contact can be through a website pop-up that demands you call a number, or a phone call, often claiming to be from Microsoft or another computer company.
The CAFC, which is jointly managed by the RCMP, the Competition Bureau Canada, and the Ontario Provincial Police, has a list of warning signs and ways to protect yourself from scammers. The press release notes that legitimate police or anti-fraud personnel will never ask you to transfer money or make a payment, nor will they want remote access to your computer, or personal information.
The CAFC also warns people to watch out for common fraud tactics, such as a scammer providing the first several digits of your credit card and asking you for the rest. (Most debit and credit cards start with the same numbers.) Scammers may also use call-spoofing so that a call display suggests a legitimate source.
The press release suggests that if you are concerned a call may be coming from a scammer, tell them you’ll call back. Then use another phone or wait 10 minutes before calling the bank or credit card company from the number listed on the card. And never be afraid to simply hang up.
If you think you’ve been the victim of a scam, the press release advises you contact your bank, local police and the CAFC. That can be done through the the web site at antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca, or by phone at 1-888-495-8501. “Even if you’re not a victim,” it advises, “report it to the CAFC anyway.”
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