Northern Ont. police say residents are being targeted by online and telephone crypto scams
There has been a surge in online and telephone fraud attempts in northern Ontario, provincial police said in a recent news release.
Provincial police say there has been a surge in online and telephone fraud attempts in northern Ontario recently. A man uses a computer keyboard in Toronto in this Sunday, Oct. 9, 2023 photo illustration. (Graeme Roy/The Canadian Press)
On Friday, the West Parry Sound Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) said, in a news release, that it is investigating multiple frauds that have occurred over the past month.
“Over the last 30 days members of the West Parry Sound OPP have responded to 12 calls for service regarding frauds and scams with losses totaling over $100,000,” said police.
OPP officials said several of the fraud cases center around investing in cryptocurrency.
Protect yourself
Police offered the following tips to help protect yourself:
- CRA or government offices will never request payments in cryptocurrency or prepaid gift cards.
- Hang up if anyone is using abusive language and/or threatening you with immediate arrest if you do not comply with demands for payment.
- Do not give out personal information.
- Hang up on any phone calls if there is anything suspicious.
- Do not be afraid to say no.
- Protect your online accounts.
- Always do your research.
A undated file photo of a cordless phone. (CTV News)
Police advise that if you think you or someone you know has been a victim of fraud, to contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or your nearest police authority.
For more information on how to protect yourself against common scams, visit www.antifraudcentre.ca.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Signs of Alzheimer’s were everywhere. Then his brain improved
Blood biomarkers of telltale signs of early Alzheimer’s disease in the brain of his patient, 55-year-old entrepreneur Simon Nicholls, had all but disappeared in a mere 14 months.
Box tree moths have infested Ontario and experts say more are coming. Here's what to do to protect your garden
An invasive moth species is on the rise in Canada and, if you've planted a certain shrub, it could stand to ruin your garden.
Lyon-bound Air Canada Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner from Montreal turns back midflight due to pressurization alert
Passengers heading from Montreal to Lyon, France on Friday were forced to return home and depart the next day after a pressurization indication was detected in flight.
$500K-worth of elvers seized at Toronto airport
Fishery and border service officers seized more than 100 kilograms of unauthorized elvers at the Toronto Pearson International Airport on Wednesday.
B.C. pipeline company argues its 'haulers' are not trucks, for tax purposes
A contractor working on the Coastal GasLink pipeline has been denied more than $333,000 worth of tax rebates because pieces of machinery it purchased – and claimed were not trucks – were deemed sufficiently truck-like in B.C. Supreme Court.
VIA Rail service delayed for hours due to suspicious package investigation in Kingston, Ont.
VIA Rail service resumed in the Kingston, Ont. area late Saturday afternoon, after a suspicious package investigation halted train service for more than four hours over the Victoria Day long weekend.
Usyk beats Fury by split decision, becomes undisputed heavyweight champion
Oleksandr Usyk defeated Tyson Fury by split decision to become the first undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in 24 years.
The eight most expensive homes for sale in Ottawa this spring
Ottawa's ultra luxury housing market is blooming like the tulips this spring, with a significant increase in the number of homes sold worth more than $2 million.
To plant or not to plant? Gardening tips for May long weekend
May long weekend is finally here, and with the extra time off you may be getting the itch to head out to your garden and plant. However, the old debate whether you should plant now, or wait, is still ever-present.