(HURON EAST, ON) – The Huron Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is investigating a recent report of fraud in Huron East. Total loss from the fraud is reported to be $100,000.
On September 14th, Huron OPP was contacted by a Huron East resident who reported losing $100,000 in an internet investment scam between July and September 2023. The victim explained to police that they were referred to a cryptocurrency investment website by a person not known to them who made contact by text message initially. The victim initially invested $500 and was promised certain profits on their investment. The victim then invested an additional $100,000. The victim sent their money to an internet service which transferred the victim’s Canadian currency into cryptocurrency. The fraudsters eventually “froze” the investment and ceased all communication with the victim. The victim realized they had been scammed and called the police.
In 2022, according to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC), fraud reports totaled a staggering $530 million in victim losses. This was nearly a 40% increase from the 2021, unprecedented $380 million in losses. It is estimated that only 5-10% of victims report scams and frauds to the CAFC or law enforcement.