Ontario Provincial Police are warning the public about a new fraud involving people claiming to work for a bank after a Russell County resident lost $6,000 in the scam.
Police say fraudsters are posing as a bank customer service employee and using customer service telephone numbers to call victims.
“They will speak with the victims, telling them that they’re victims of fraud, and to provide all their banking information and passwords over the telephone,” the OPP said in a statement.
“The culprits will then tell the victims to place all their debit and credit cards in an envelope, and that someone will pass by their residence to pick them up for destruction.”
On Monday, Russell County OPP received a report from a victim that a fraudster had contacted her, identifying themselves as bank employees.
Police say the fake bank employee instructed her to provide all of her banking information, passwords and to place all debit and credit cards in an envelope to give them to an employee who would visit her home.
The victim gave the envelope with all debit and credit cards to an unknown woman the next day.
Russell County OPP offer tips to protect yourself.
- If you are asked to provide all of your banking information and passwords, don’t do it, it’s a scam.
- Ask yourself why any company would ask for banking information over the phone or text message when they should have your information on file.
- Contact the company or agency directly to confirm that if you really are the victim of identity fraud or that there’s a problem