(WEST PARRY SOUND, ON) – Several residents of the Parry Sound District are reporting receiving a fraudulent phone call. The call is either a pre-recorded message or a live person claiming to be from Air Miles. The caller indicates that the person receiving the call has won thousands of Air Miles points or has won a vacation from Air Miles. To claim these points or the vacation, the person receiving the call is asked to provide a credit card number to hold the prize.
The following are indicators to be on the lookout for when trying to identify a potential scam:
– Unsolicited automated calls
– Caller requesting personal information or credit card information
– Credit card charges from foreign banks
The West Parry Sound Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) would like to remind everyone not to give personal information over the phone or to send money to anyone without confirming the caller’s identity and the validity of the information being provided.
It’s not always easy to spot a scam especially since new ones are invented every day. You can report a potential scam by going to www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca or by calling the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.
If you discover that you have become a victim of a fraud or scam, contact the local police immediately to report the crime. If your credit cards or bank accounts are involved, notify them as soon as you can so they can assist you.
