OPP – Don’t Pay the Con Artist

In the past two weeks, the following scams have been reported to the South Bruce OPP:

  • Phone call asking to confirm the last 3 digits of Social Insurance Number (SIN)
  • Payments made for application to the “Global Grant Fund Offer” using gift cards
  • Phone call from an “OPP” officer asking for money – the OPP does not solicit!

Modern, tech-savvy scammers have the ability to create very convincing scams. They won’t hesitate to use the name of a legitimate company in an effort to gain your trust and trick you into paying them.

Always be cautious with unsolicited email, phone calls, letters, even visitors at your door. Unsolicited means that you didn’t ask for it. Always be certain who you are dealing with before you ever consider sending money or sharing personal information.

There is no magic to prevent fraud. If it seems too good to be true it likely is and you can’t win a lottery or contest that you didn’t enter in the first place. You work hard for your money, so work just as hard to protect it. Don’t pay the con artist.

Anyone interested in more information on fraud can contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1 888 495 8501 or check online at http://www.antifraudcentre.ca/.