(TILLSONBURG, ON.) – The Oxford County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) want to remind all Oxford County residents that if they receive a call indicating that you have won a large amount of currency from “Lotto Max” Lottery, “Reader’s Digest”, or a new vehicle, please hang up the phone. This is a SCAM.
Between February 21, 2015 and March 14, 2015 an elderly resident of Oxford County received several calls from unknown individuals indicating that the home owner had won various lotteries which included million dollar prizes and a vehicle.
The unknown caller then requested that funds be sent through a money transfer service to either a Jamaican or United States address in order to cover the taxes so the prizes can be released. The funds were sent in numerous transactions totalling in excess of $20,000.
Police are urging all residents to be aware of unsolicited calls representing legitimate companies or organizations. The OPP is warning all residents that if anyone should receive a call from an unknown person indicating that you have won any type of lottery or new vehicle, to please hang up the phone, this is a scam.
Don’t become a statistic. Fraud is a multi-billion dollar enterprise that will only stop when the scammers stop getting money, banking information or personal information. The best thing to do is to simply hang up the phone.
For more information on fraud, call the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or http://www.antifraudcentre.ca.