Tis The Season To Be Scammed

(HURON COUNTY, ON) – Tis the season of giving, however it is the season for scammers to take advantage of the generosity of others. Huron County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) would like to remind everyone to be aware of some potential scams that are currently active in Huron County. Recently officers were notified of a female scammer going from door to door in Exeter seeking charitable donations to a variety of causes. The young teenager was seeking donations to support Breast Cancer research, a church fundraiser and to support the local food bank. She was not an authorized canvasser and was simply preying on the generosity of those in the Christmas spirit. She received at least one donation from one homeowner however there were several residents in the area that did not donate to her personal fundraiser.

Huron OPP was also notified of a telephone scam by a Goderich resident this week. The scammer called the senior purporting to be collecting money for the OPP’s “Red Ribbon Campaign”. The scammer initially asked for a donation of $300 to $500 but when the senior stated she wasn’t going to donate that amount of money he quickly reduced his ask to a $25 donation. She didn’t fall for this scam and kept her money in her pocket. The OPP does not solicit funds for programs and campaigns.

The end of the year is a peak season for charities to solicit donations; it is also the peak season for scammers to defraud the public. If you receive a call or if someone is at your door asking for money you should be diligent and thoroughly research the charity or organization before committing to make a donation. Make sure your hard earned donation is going to the right place.

How to protect yourself?

Be wary of unsolicited phone calls using high pressure tactics.

Never give out personal or financial information over the phone or at the door.

Contact the charity directly and see if they are soliciting and request a written breakdown of where your donation goes. If it is a legitimate charity they will wait for the donation.

Search Revenue Canada’s web site, all registered charities can be searched by name or by their charitable registration number. (www.cra-arc.gc.ca/charitylists)

For information on how to spot a scam, go to www.opp.ca and click on Fraud Prevention on the Resources page.