Victim loses $600
A word of warning from Niagara Regional Police.
Officers say a scammer contacted someone using the force's non-emergency number.
The call was received in July, and it began with an automated message that said there was a problem with the person's social insurance number.
The victim stayed on the line and spoke with the scammer, who falsely identified themselves as a police officer.
The scammer told the victim to go to a local convenience store and make a Bitcoin payment in order to prevent their arrest.
The victim believed the call was for real, and lost about $600 as a result.
The NRP says they won't ever call you via an automated call and demand payment in cash, Bitcoin or gift cards.
Anyone who receives such a call can ask for details such as a badge or ID number, full name and incident number, and follow up on their own to see if the call is valid.
Police say scammers often hide their real phone number and display a number of their choosing in order to trick people.
More fraud prevention tips can be found here.
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