Source: OPP
A fraud case in Howick Township cost a resident $70 thousand.
Huron OPP say the resident lost the money in an internet investment scam between July and October of this year.
Reports say the victim was contacted by phone by a man claiming to be a lawyer from England.
The “lawyer” convinced the victim to invest money through a series of bank transfers which were converted into Cryptocurrency, police say.
The victim later realized they had been scammed and called the OPP.
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre has several tips for protecting yourself against scammers, including:
- Don’t give out your personal information (name, address, DOB, SIN, banking credentials).
- Don’t accept friend requests from people you do not know.
- Don’t invest your money in platforms provided by people you don’t know.
- Be careful who you share images with. Suspects will often use explicit pictures to extort victims into sending more money.
- Protect your online accounts.
- Get more than one quote for home repair work and never feel pressured.
- Never send money to someone you haven’t met.
- Don’t respond to text messages from phone numbers you do not recognize.
- Learn more tips and tricks for protecting yourself.