Police urge residents to be mindful of scams

The Thunder Bay Police Service is continuing to educate the public about ways to protect themselves from financial scams.

While not unique to Thunder Bay, members of our community continue to be targeted and fall victim to deceit by fraudsters.

Community members contacted by a suspected scammer are urged to remember that the best way to avoid being victimized is to hang up the phone or not respond to messages. If someone is contacting you and demanding payment or requesting personal information, it is most likely a scam.

As well, reputable financial agencies and institutions will never demand gift cards or cryptocurrency as a form of payment.

In situations where there is an incentive or reward being offered, if something seems too good to be true then it probably is. Do not provide personal information, such as a credit card number or access to financial accounts.

Fraudsters may attempt to manipulate their victims by claiming there is a sense of urgency to act. This is a common tactic to prevent victims from practicing due diligence and should be viewed as evidence that a scam is taking place.

Economic crime investigations are very often complex and can take an extensive amount of time. Recovering or reimbursing lost funds is extremely rare.

Police urge family members and friends to speak to those who may be vulnerable to being targeted by scams.

For further information about various frauds and scams that may be circulating, please visit https://www.thunderbaypolice.ca/safety/fraud-prevention or the Canadian Anti Fraud Centre online at: https://antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/index-eng.htm

To make a fraud/cyber crime online report to the Thunder Bay Police Service, please visit: https://www.services.tryrubicon.com/thunder-bay-police-service/online-reports/report/fraud-cybercrime