Fraud Warning
Recently police have been notified of fraudulent activity regarding requests for gift cards over the phone.
In at least three occasions, potential victims have received phone calls from fraudsters claiming to be employees of a bank or financial institution. In all three incidents, potential victims were told $1,800 was wrongfully withdrawn from their account, the institution caught the error but deposited $2,200 back into their account.
The fraudsters then instruct the potential victim to purchase $1,000 in gift cards. They also instruct people on the phone not to contact their bank, financial institution or police.
Luckily, all three of the potential victims realized this was fraudulent and did not send them gift cards or money. Seniors were the targets in all three incidents police are aware of.
We urge everyone to review their finances regularly to ensure there are no irregularities in their accounts.
If someone contacts you requesting money while also asking you not to tell anyone, it is a sign something is not right. If you ever have any concerns about a potential scam or fraudulent activity, please contact police by calling 705-949-6300.
Do not share personal information with anyone you do not know over the phone. Remember, you are not obligated to share your information with others. Do not be shy about asking the person on the phone questions about why they are requesting money or personal information.
If you have second thoughts, end the conversation. It is not rude, it is cautious. Protect yourself and your personal information at all times.
For more tips to Protect Yourself from Fraud and Identity Theft visit www.saultpolice.ca.