The Niagara Regional Police Service would like to remind members of the public about frauds involving the purchasing of gift cards.The scam works by the victim receiving a telephone call from a fraudster claiming to be a representative of a financial institution or an online retailer. The victim is told there has been an error and funds have accidently been deposited into their account. In some instances, the fraudster will convince the victim to allow remote access into their computer under the ruse of assisting with the securing of their account. The fraudster then requests the funds be paid back by way of gift cards and directs the victim to send the serial numbers of the gift cards after they have been purchased.
Here are some tips to avoid becoming victimized by this type of scam:
-Never purchase gift cards as a form of payment. Gift cards are not a form of currency to pay outstanding debts, taxes, utilities, or errors made by financial institutions or online retailers.
– If you receive a telephone call from anyone who encourages you to purchase a gift card and send the serial number, don’t do it – it’s a scam.
– Remember that fraudsters are able to “spoof” telephone numbers to make it appear on a caller ID that they are a representative of a financial institution, online retailer, or otherwise.
– If in doubt, consult with a family member or a trusted friend before making any decisions. In most cases, once you pause and tell the story, it will become apparent it doesn’t sound right and is likely a scam.
If you have been a victim of a scam and experienced a financial loss, please call the Niagara Regional Police Service non-emergency line by dialing 905-688-4111. If you have received one of these calls but did not experience a financial loss, please report it to the by Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre by dialing 1-888-495-8501 or by visiting their website.
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