Types of Scams

Scammers posing as Canada Revenue Agency workers are still targeting people in the Niagara Region. The scam may insist that personal information is needed so that the taxpayer can receive a refund or a benefit payment. Cases of fraudulent communication could also involve threatening or coercive language to scare individuals into paying fictitious debt to the CRA.  The scammers will often threaten arrest.  This debt repayment may involve gift cards and wire transfers. A government agency will never use gift cards or bitcoin as a form of debt re-payment.

If you receive a call saying you owe money to the CRA, you can call or check "My Account" on line at http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/scrty/frdprvntn/menu-eng.html 

Fraudsters will impersonate a senior company executive, either by gaining access to their email address or by imitating one. They will send realistic-looking emails that try to trick you into wiring money or gift cards to a third party. The emails will make the request sound urgent and confidential. For example, they may say the money is needed to secure an important deal.  If you get an unusual request for money transfers or gift cards always check the senders email address and confirm with a telephone call.

The Niagara Regional Police Service provides the following information to consumers to assist them when considering hiring a contractor for their home.

Consumer Protection Tips When Hiring a Home Contractor:

• Get recommendations from people you trust.
• Prior to initiating work ensure the contractor is insured.
• Get multiple written estimates.
• If it sounds too good to be true, it likely is.
• Check references of past jobs.
• Do your own research
• AVOID CASH DEALS
• Be leery of unsolicited offers via the phone, or door to door.
• Understand the scope of the work – If you hire a scammer and they do damage to City property, you could be held civilly responsible for its repair.
• Take pictures – Before, during and after. If suspicious, also consider photos of contractor vehicles and licence plates

Put it on Paper:

• Work requested and agreed upon.
• Dates – Start and Finish.
• Exact cost of the project.
• Payment Schedule – 10% deposit at the start, final full amount upon satisfactory completion of agreed upon work.
• Demand a receipt.
• Demand guarantee / warranty information.

If you are a business or member of the public who believes you have received counterfeit currency, please print a Suspected Counterfeit Bank Note Form and Forged Payment Cards form (link attached below) and complete. Contact the NRPS and provide the suspected counterfeit note and form to the responding officer. Banks and credit unions follow a different reporting procedure and can contact the Central Fraud Unit directly for those instructions.

Print the Suspected Counterfeit Bank Notes and Forged Payment Cards Here

Report any suspicious or unauthorized transactions directly to your financial institution or credit card issuer immediately.

They will review your complaint and if they assume the loss, they will report the matter to police. There is no need for you to report the matter since the financial institution is in the best position to provide all the supporting information needed by police. If you are being held responsible for the loss, please obtain a letter from your bank or financial institution along with copies of all supporting documentation and report the matter the Niagara Regional Police.

Watch for door-to-door sales people who pressure you to enter your home to inspect items such as your monthly bill, hot water tank, furnace, and air conditioning.  No one has the right to enter your property without prior notice.  The situation of a person or persons attending your door unsolicited is yours to control.  Never sign on the first day until you've had a chance to sleep on it.  Don't be fooled by time sensitive deals or discounts. 

The scammers target the elderly in an attempt to steal large sums of money through a wire transfer.  Financial losses from this scam are usually several thousand dollars per victim.  A grandparent will receive a phone call from someone who claims to be their grandchild or someone acting on their behalf such as a police officer, lawyer, doctor, or other person.  Make attempts to contact your grandchild or another family member first to determine whether the call is legitimate.

Scammers will provide a fake back story for why they are selling high value items at a low price. Generally, scammers will use emotional responses to trick victims into believing stories such as the death of a family member. Once the victim inquires, the scammer provides a QR code for the victim to use at a Bitcoin ATM and once the funds are sent, the victim never receives the item. 

If you're dealing with an unknown person or website to make an online sale be cautions if the seller request money be sent via bitcoin, wire transfer or electronic fund transfer (EFT). Most reputable sellers will use an online payment processor to conduct their transactions. Consider using a third party payment providers who protect your purchase. If it seems too good to be true it probably is.

People selling items are at risk too. Sometime a buyer of an item will over pay by a fraudulent cheque or transfer and request funds be sent back to them or have them forward the over-payment to a fraudulent shipping company.  By the time the fraudulent payment is discovered the funds are already collected. If you have any doubts about a payment attempt to confirm the payments with the bank and wait for the payment to clear

Phishing is when you get an unsolicited email that claims to be from a legitimate organization, such as financial institutions, businesses or government agencies. Scammers ask you to provide or verify, either via email or by clicking on a web link, personal or financial information, like your credit card number, passwords and social insurance number. Smishing is the same thing, except it occurs via text messages.

With so many people isolating and experiencing loneliness they are seeking companionship.  One of the scams on the rise is websites and online listings have popped up selling puppies. Many scammers are asking for money up front to "Hold" a puppy which is usually sent out of the Province by Wire transfer or Bitcoin. Before sending any money do your homework and make sure you're dealing with a reputable breeder. Search the email address, telephone number or any other information to see if there are fraud complaints or positive review for the seller.

Victims are promised a guaranteed return on their financial investment. Generally, the scammer will use a website that the victim can log into and "track their investment" while continuing to provide more of their money. 

Scammers often hide behind fake online identities, using social media, dating sites, or fraudulent job offers to build quick trust. They may message frequently, share personal stories, or promise employment or companionship, all to manipulate emotions and gain access to your money.

In many cases, victims are asked to receive funds in their personal bank accounts and transfer the money elsewhere, including through Bitcoin ATMs. This tactic turns victims into unwitting “money mules,” leaving them financially responsible when the bank reverses the fraudulent deposits.

Protect yourself by staying cautious of anyone you haven’t met in person who asks for money, personal information, or access to your accounts. Genuine employers and partners won’t pressure you into financial transactions.

Scammers send a message out to someone that may sound similar to:

• ATTENTION! We implanted malware on your computer, which means we have been keeping tabs on you, including grabbing your passwords and getting access to your accounts.
• We also used this malware to film you via your webcam and to take screenshots of your browser.
• We made a video of you on a porn site with the screenshots and the webcam footage side-by-side.
• Oh, and the clock is ticking, so pay us some money pretty darn quickly or we’ll send the video to your friends and family. (We know who they are, because we have your passwords, remember?)

The extortion scammers demand is often between  $600 to $4500, to be paid  to a Bitcoin account included in the email message.  The "old" password that is often included is just that, old.  Cybercriminals sometimes obtain old passwords by data breachs.

Fraud Scammers will impersonate legitimate and trusted sources.  Spoofing is a scam related to emails, text messages, phone calls and websites.  Scammers use spoofing to access a person's personal information and to sometimes spread malware and spyware.  In essence these attacks can lead to data breaches and financial loss to the victim.  They can also result in a loss of revenue to those individuals and commercial entities that have been deemed as secondary victims/targets when they are impersonated.  It can affect a business' reputation in the community. 

You should be on the lookout for poor spelling, inconsistent grammar and unusual sentence structure.  Don't click on unfamiliar links or attachments.  Don't take phone calls you don't recognize even if the phone number looks legitimate.  Call the utility / business yourself to learn if what your observing is legitimate.  Be wary when the spoofer scammer indicates / threatens you will lose a service if you don't pay immediately by cryptocurrency, money transfer or credit card.

The NRPS has received spoofing scam complaints involving local utilities (eg. Niagara Peninsula Energy), financial institutions, online media streaming services and third party payment mediums.  These service providers do not normally contact customers by electronic messaging or phone.  If you receive something suspicious, stop, don't panic and conduct your own investigation. Utility companies will not request bitcoin or gift cards as payment.

Scammers are posing as legitimate purchasers of used vehicle sales.  They contact you as a result of you placing your used vehicle for sale on a web based marketplace site.  The scammers are savvy enough not to contact you via the on-line goods and services marketplace website, rather move to calling or texting your cellphone.  They then propose meeting at a venue that has quick access to the roadway.  They arrive ahead of you usually driven to the location by an accomplice who subsequently disappears.   Upon your arrival the scammer convinces you it is safer for them to test drive the vehicle due to the pandemic.  The seller agrees, the vehicle is driven away never to be seen again.