NEWS RELEASE
ONTARIO PROVINCIAL POLICE
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BROCKTON - On July 16, 2019 just after 8 a.m., South Bruce Ontario Provincial Police responded to a report of fraud in Brockton, Ont.
The victim received a phone call from a scammer who identified himself as a police officer. The victim was advised that the police had located his social insurance number along with other documents, with blood all over the documents.
The victim was then advised that there was an arrest warrant issued for him and in order to stay out of jail, he needed to provide a certain sum of money. The victim proceeded to send three payments of $500 to the scammer, before realizing that it was a fraud. The money was sent via his Apple Pay.
When you send or receive money with Apple Pay, it's just like any other private transaction between two people. And just like with other types of payments, there are some precautions you can take to avoid scams.
Make sure that you send and receive money only with people you know. Make sure that the person requesting money isn't impersonating someone you know or trust, like a relative, an employer, a government entity, or a charity - even if the account that the request came from looks official. Speak to the person yourself and verify their name and payment information. If you're not sure about their identity, don't send the payment.
The Ontario Provincial Police South Bruce Detachment continues to receive reports from residents stating they have been defrauded or that they have received phone calls/mail/emails from scammers but recognized the scam. Don't be a victim. Fraud is a multi-billion dollar enterprise that will only stop when the scammers stop getting money, banking information or personal information
For more information on fraud, call the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or visit here.
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