OPP alerting locals to a concerning increase in fraud in the eastern part of Ontario
“Frauds are becoming more sophisticated and brazen, with fraudsters impersonating businesses, government agencies, law enforcement, and law firms,” said John Armit, Acting Detective Sergeant of the OPP Anti-Rackets Branch.
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are alerting residents to an increase in fraud cases across the National Capital Region, including a rise in the "Grandparent Scam" in the North Grenville area.
In these scams, fraudsters pose as familiar individuals, such as a grandchild, and claim that money is urgently needed, according to police.
Additionally, it is estimated that only 5 to 10 percent of fraud victims report the incidents to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) or law enforcement.
The OPP has reported receiving numerous complaints from victims who were contacted by scammers posing as bank investigators, local law enforcement, or online merchants.
These fraudsters often claim there is an ongoing "investigation" into compromised bank accounts and ask victims to deposit or transfer funds, usually overseas. Victims typically realize the scam only after the transactions are completed.
To make the scam appear legitimate, fraudsters may use some of the victim’s personal information, such as their name, date of birth, phone number, address, or debit card number.
They may also instruct victims to send an e-transfer to their own cellphone number, guiding them to add the scammer as a payee and increase their e-transfer limit.
The scammer then provides the e-transfer question and answer for the victim to use. Once the victim provides the final part of the Interac e-transfer URL, the fraudster can access the funds.
Ottawa police recently reported that scammers have been impersonating their phone number and victim services.
“Frauds are becoming more sophisticated and brazen, with fraudsters impersonating businesses, government agencies, law enforcement, and law firms,” said John Armit, Acting Detective Sergeant of the OPP Anti-Rackets Branch.
In one instance, a senior in Edwardsburgh Cardinal received a call claiming a family member needed financial help after a collision to fix their car before the police were informed.
The scammer offered to pick up the money from the victim’s home, but the victim confirmed it was a scam after consulting a family member.
Police have also warned of other scams in the capital, including taxi and Uber frauds, parking QR code scams, and bank investigator fraud.
The OPP emphasizes that elderly victims, who often require support to recover from fraud, are frequently targeted.
From January 1 to June 30, 2024, victims reported losses exceeding $5.6 million due to Bank Investigator fraud. The CAFC reported total losses of over $10.9 million in 2023.