(SOUTHERN BRUCE COUNTY, ON) – On June 18, 2015 at 10:43 a.m., the South Bruce Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) received a report of a scam attempt from a resident of Huron-Kinloss Township. A check arrived in the mail from “Publisher’s Clearing House” for $14,622 which was found to be worthless at the bank. Fortunately, this scam attempt was identified and it failed.
The South Bruce OPP is sending another warning for area residents to watch for cons and scams. They are being attempted every day because they represent income when they are successful. The only way to beat them is to ensure that they don’t get paid.
Tech savvy con artists can create very convincing scams that are only limited by their imagination. A common ploy is they pretend to be an employee of a large, established company or even a government agency like Canada Revenue. Company logos or letterheads can easily be copied with a computer.
Your best defence is to verify the email, phone call, letter or stranger at the door before you ever consider sending money or sharing personal information. Contact the real agency to verify the unsolicited contact. Get the number yourself; don’t rely on the contact information provided.
Anyone interested in more information on fraud can contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1 888 495 8501 or check online at http://www.antifraudcentre.ca/.