Niagara Regional Police Service Warn Public of New Fraud Scam Involving Impersonation of Crown Attorney’s Office

The Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) is warning members of the public about a new fraud scam that has been reported in other jurisdictions and may impact residents in the Niagara Region.

In this scam, individuals receive phone calls from someone claiming to be a representative of the local Crown Attorney’s Office. The call display appears to show the legitimate phone number of the Crown Attorney’s Office. Callers may also use the names of real Crown Attorneys and claim to be associated with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, identifying themselves as “Officer Shawn Diaz.”

The caller alleges that the recipient is a victim of identity theft and instructs them to make payments using what are described as “government-approved ATM machines” or to deposit envelopes of cash into designated drop boxes. These so-called government-approved ATMs are, in fact, Bitcoin machines, which are not regulated. Once funds are deposited into these machines, it is extremely difficult—if not impossible—to recover the money.

The Niagara Regional Police Service confirms that members of the Crown Attorney’s Office and/or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre will never contact individuals and direct them to make payments of any kind.

NRPS reminds the public to remain vigilant and to exercise extreme caution when receiving unsolicited phone calls, text messages, or emails from unknown or unexpected individuals. If contacted by someone claiming to represent a government agency or financial institution, always verify the information independently by contacting the organization directly using a trusted source, such as the phone number on the back of a bank or credit card. Do not rely on phone numbers provided during the call, text, or email, and do not click on links or accept call transfers.

Anyone who believes they may have been a victim of fraud or identity theft is encouraged to contact the Niagara Regional Police Service at (905) 688 4111, option 1. 

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