Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are urging residents in Kenora and across northern Ontario to be vigilant amid a rise in reports of fraudulent phone calls, emails, and social media scams.
Authorities say scammers are posing as prize distributors, charity workers, or emergency contacts to pressure victims into sending money – often via gift cards, cryptocurrency, or money orders. The OPP emphasized that legitimate organizations will never demand urgent payments or personal information.
“When in doubt or if it doesn’t sound right, hang up the phone,” said acting OPP Sgt. Hayley Mcleary, in a news release.
Authorities have provided a listing of common red flags to look out for, including:
- Urgency: Fraudsters always make the request sound very urgent, which may cause the victim to not verify the story.
- Fear: Scammers play on a victims’ emotions. For instance, they may say, “I am scared, and I need help from you”. Police suggest verifying the identity of the person calling by asking a question they would not know the answer to.
- Secrecy: The fraudster pleads with the victim to not tell anyone about the situation.
OPP have advised residents to:
- Avoid sharing banking details, Social Insurance Numbers, or other sensitive data.
- Consult family or contact companies directly before sending funds.
- Never send currency in the form of gift cards, money orders or cryptocurrency.
- Your caller ID may have been spoofed, so do not let your guard down – verify the identities of callers by asking questions only the actual person/organization could answer.
Victims of fraud are encouraged to report incidents to local police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or online, even if no money was lost.
For more information on protecting yourself from scams, visit antifraudcentre.ca
