" $ 5 6 " - * 5 4 r / & 8 4 OPP WARNS OF THE 12 SCAMS OF CHRISTMAS
CHRISTOPHER SMITH christopher.smith@eap.on.ca
receive one; even if they don’t, your personal information can be sold for a tidy sum. Gift cards are popular around the holi- days for those who don’t know what to get someone as a present, but like cash, they’re untraceable. Fraudsters will pose as compa- nies or businesses and ask for payment in gift cards, and once the information is given over the phone, they vanish. It is extremely unlikely that the victim of a gift card scam will ever get their money back. Prize scams are popular around the holidays because there are so many more sweepstakes and contests to enter. Victims receive a letter or call about a huge prize they’ve won, but they must give their perso- nal information and a processing fee first. Fees from an actual contest would never be collected from the winner, they’d simply be removed from the winnings, and you can’t enter a lottery without buying a ticket yourself from within that country. &NFSHFODZTDBNTBSFNPSFFGGFDUJWF around the holidays because family is already on the brain. If a loved on reaches out to you asking for money, and they need you to keep it a secret, make sure they’re actually related to you by asking questions only a family member would know the answer to. &NBJMBOEUFYUTDBNTDBOCFIBSEUPTQPU It looks like a message from a reputable source, like a financial institution or telecom company, but it’s actually a scammer collec- ting your personal information or sending you a virus link to click on. A reputable company will always call you to confirm information, and if you’re unsure, you can always call them with their usual number. Romance scams are particularly insidious because they prey on the depression and loneliness that people feel around the holi- days if they don’t have anyone to be with or around. An attractive fake identity will use loving messages and sweet promises to lure victims into sending money, which they may say will be used on transportation to visit, but will instead be deposited straight into their wallet. More generally, investing is also a popular online scam, especially with cryptocurrency. Any legitimate company asking for invest- ments will have a national registry, which can be verified at www.aretheyregistered.ca, and
On the first day of Christmas, a scammer gave to me…a counterfeit bag from Burberry. The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) are warning residents that as the holidays approach, scams will become more pre- valent. The holidays are a time of giving and charity for most, but scammers see it as a time of taking, moreso than any other time of year. The CAFC would like to highlight the 12 most popular holiday scams for people to watch out for. Online shopping is one of the easiest ways for scammers to catch someone out. Fake ads for items that don’t exist are the most prevalent and frustrating scams to fall for, because not only have you paid money for something you won’t be getting, but the item is usually something you were really looking forward to, especially around the IPMJEBZT&WFOUUJDLFUT WFIJDMFT BOEQFUT are the usual culprits, so double check that everything is legitimate and be suspicious if the price seems too good to be true. Counterfeit merchandise is abundant even outside the holidays, so be wary of huge discounts that seem too good to be USVF8IFOUIFJUFNBSSJWFT JUXJMMMPPLMJLF the real deal, but it will be inferior in quality and may even carry significant health risks. Again, be skeptical of super low prices and receive the item in person if possible. On the other side of things, people who sell goods or services online themselves should be wary of people trying to scam them through their own stores. Payment offers for more than the asking price are usually followed by a chargeback, a bounced cheque, or a notification that the payment never even arrived. Secret Santa scams are more insidious, because they use your own friends and family against you. Fraudsters will organize a Secret Santa exchange on social media, pulling in multiple victims who are excited to be part of such a nice holiday activity and thus don’t look too close at the details. Unfortunately, the organizers will rig everything so they receive multiple gifts and the participants
Faites attention à ces 12 arnaques courantes pendant les vacances -Pexels photo
the investment should make sense to you. Research every aspect of the investment, including the team behind the offer, before sending any sort of money or signature. Finally, identity theft and fraud are espe- cially dangerous during the holiday rush because it’s so much harder to notice. Always keep your wallet on your person and DPWFS UIF1*/ GPS ZPVSCBOLDBSET/FWFS share passwords or personal information, even with people you trust, and keep an eye
on your bank statements for any purchases that fraudsters will slip in-between holiday buys. Keep an eye out for credit applications you didn’t authorize, rerouted mail, bills from services you don’t use, and database breaches that affect your information.
Anyone suspecting they’re a fraud victim should report it to their local police, as well as the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre through their online reporting system or by phone at 1-888-495-8501. OPP WARNS OF CRYPTOCURRENCY SCAMS
CHRISTOPHER SMITH christopher.smith@eap.on.ca
Cryptocurrency is rife with scams and fraudsters, just like any other kind of investment. The OPP warns against a steady increase of scams related to cryptocurrency. Fake cryptocurrency investment companies are set up with convincing websites, social media accounts, and reviews from “satisfied custo- mers”. Once lured in through social media or even dating sites, high-pressure sales tactics convince victims to keep investing larger and larger amounts of money with no chance of a return. invest ever-increasing amounts of money. Research is key to avoid being scammed. Make sure the company is a registered busi- ness, search online for complaints related to the company, and remember that complaints may be registered in other countries as well. If they claim to be associated with a legitimate company, contact the company to see if that’s true. /FWFSHJWFPVUBOZQBTTXPSE DSZQUPDVS - rency keys, or recovery phrases to anyone. Store them physically, or in a password-pro- tected file if on a device. Remain suspicious of any investment opportunity that promises high returns in a short amount of time, and don’t keep funds in an exchange wallet any longer than is necessary.
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Anyone who thinks they have been scam- med should contact local police and their bank immediately. Save any information that may help with the investigation, like bank account numbers, bitcoin addresses, copies of any correspondence with the fraudsters, and the date of every interaction. Change the passwords on all personal bank, credit card, and other financial accounts, as data- stealing malware could have been hidden in any emails or online transactions. Remember that many advertisements to recover money lost through cryptocurrency investment fraud are also scams and should not be trusted. For more information on cryptocurrency fraud visit The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre website: antifraudcentre-centreantifraude. ca/ Les crypto-monnaies sont truffées d’arnaques et de fraudeurs, comme tout autre type d’investissement - photo d’archives.
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