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Email scam cost victim $500

A woman taking action on a scam email is out $500.

Prince Edward County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are requesting that residents are mindful of online frauds and “phishing” scams.

On Thursday, Sept. 12 OPP received a complaint from a female who reported that she had a friend that was requesting by email that she purchase “Google Play” cards for a relative’s birthday gift on her behalf because she would be out of country.

“The officer took the complaint and determined that her friend’s email had not been compromised but only modified slightly which was not captured by the victim,” said Karen German, OPP Community Safety Officer. “The 75-year-old victim notified her banking institution however, lost $500. She did not provide any personal information.”

OPP remind residents that while using the internet can be beneficial and informative, it also comes with several risks and suggests ways to protect yourself and loved ones from online predators.

EMAIL OFFERS
– Never reply to spam email, even to unsubscribe – often this just serves to “verify” your address to scammers. The best course of action is to delete any suspicious emails without opening them.
– Turn off “viewing pane” as just viewing the email may send a verification to the sender that yours is a valid email address.
– Legitimate banks and financial institutions will never ask for your account details in an email or ask you to click on a link in an email to access your account.
– Never call a telephone number or trust other contact details that you see in a spam email.
– Confirm with persons on contact list, by means other than email, if they are actual senders of information and if they are not, delete.

If you think you have spotted a scam or have been a target of a scam, there are a number of government and law enforcement agencies in Canada that you can contact for advice to make a report. This may help you and prevent others from being ripped off by scam operators.

Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre – www.antifraudcentre.ca – 1-888-495-8501

The Competition Bureau’s Information Centre – www.competitionbureau.gc.ca – 1-800-348-53 53

Local consumer affairs office – www.consumerhandbook.ca

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