(NORTHUMBERLAND, ON) – On Friday November 22, 2013 Northumberland Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) were advised of two fraud occurrences relating to the Microsoft Windows Scam and the Mystery Shopper Scam in Northumberland County.
On Friday at about 3:05 pm a female victim from Alnwick Haldimand Township reported that she given remote access to her computer after she received a call from someone posing as WINDOWS assistance. The caller asked for $200 at which point the victim had already allowed the remote access but believed the caller to be a fraud. She shut down her computer and because she had credit cards and used the internet for online banking had to cancel all her cards. She was not out any money.
Later on Friday at about 4:11 pm a second female victim from Hamilton Township reported that she had received two Mystery Shopper cheques. She contacted the number provided and received instructions from a male to do shopping at local businesses and send the money back to the company. She had deposited one cheque for $2,000 when she was contacted by her bank advising that there was a hold on the cheque and advised of the fraudulent scam. The victim then contacted the OPP.
Officers are continuing to investigate both incidents and both victims have been in contact with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. For more information on the different types of fraud and how to protect yourself and family members, please go online to www.antifraudcentre.ca