NORTH PERTH – The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) would like to remind the public that fraudsters and scammers are still extremely active and are employing various techniques to steal your hard-earned money.
On March 20, the Perth County OPP began a fraud investigation, where an individual had reported being a victim of fraud between Oct. 24, 2022, and Feb. 17, 2023.
Investigation revealed the victim received a phone call from a person who identified themselves as an employee of “Mega Millions Winners Circle.” The victim was told they had won $4.2 million and a Mercedes car from a magazine subscription they were a part of. The victim was told they would have to pay taxes on the winnings to receive payment.
The suspect told the victim they would transfer money to their account to pay the taxes, so the victim wouldn’t be out any money. The investigation is continuing.
In 2022, according to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC), fraud totalled a staggering $530 million in victim losses. This was nearly a 40 per cent increase from 2021, a then unprecedented $380 million in losses. It is estimated that only 5-10 per cent of victims report scams and frauds to the CAFC or law enforcement.
If you fall victim to a fraud of know someone who has, contact your local police service to report the crime and report it to the CAFC at 1-888-495-8591 or online on the Fraud Reporting System (FRS), even if a financial loss did not occur.
