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Detectives from the Niagara Regional Police Service are seeing an increase in the occurrence of interest rate and employment scams.

Interest Rate Scam

A suspect will contact a potential victim using the social media chat app “WhatsApp” and ask them to join a group called “Global E-Commerce” under the rouse of investing in a high interest savings account.  The interest account is promised to significant return on their invested money.  Victims are then directed to the following website domain: https://www.main.oba.global.com.

Employment Scam

A suspect will post a fraudulent employment opportunity in which an unsuspecting victim responds.  The suspect proceeds to inform the victim they received the job and immediately assign them trivial employment tasks.  Once the tasks are completed, the suspect e-transfers the victim financial compensation, giving the appearance the employment is legitimate.  At this point, the suspect tells the victim the “employer” requires an administration fee and solicits a larger sum of money from the victim then was previous paid for the nominal task. 

In the cases of the Interest Rate and the Employment Scam the suspects break off communications with the victims after obtaining money.    The suspects in both scam types are asking that victims e-transfer money.

The public is asked to be cautious and wary of any transaction that asks for money up front.

Members of the public who wish to provide information anonymously can contact Crime Stoppers of Niagara online or by calling 1-800-222-8477.  Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards to persons who contact the program with information which leads to an arrest.

Click Here For Crime Stoppers Online   

 

Scam Prevention Tips

Safety tips:

  • Trust your intuition, if it seems too good to be true it may be
  • Always verify who is calling.
  • Don’t be pressured.  Stop. Take some time to process what you have been told, to see if it makes sense.
  • Ask a trusted friend or family member for their opinion.
  • If you’re in doubt, call your local police service.

Information about scams can be found on the NRPS website or at the Canadian Anti Fraud Website.

NRPS Scam Protection Information                                                          Canadian Anti Fraud Centre