How to avoid being a victim of popular holiday scams
Provincial police are issuing a warning amid the season of scams, cautioning against becoming a victim of several frauds.
Police say the holidays are prime time for swindlers to take advantage of others.
"The holidays are a magical time for most, but for scammers, it's a time for the taking," the OPP states in a release on Wednesday.
Police say there are multiple popular holiday scams to be wary about, adding, "you can recognize them, reject them and report them."
Scams to be mindful of include:
Online shopping
Fraudsters post fake ads for items that don't exist.
"The listing price for almost any item is usually too good to be true," OPP states.
Police say the posts can be for almost any item, including event tickets, rentals, vehicles and even puppies.
Secret Santa
Gift exchange posts are popping up on social media, but police say be warned.
While it may seem like a fun activity where you send one item to receive many in return, it's a way for scammers to collect personal information.
"It also hides a pyramid scheme where only those on top profit," police noted.
Identity Theft
Police suggest keeping your wallet on your person and covering your PIN when entering it.
Never share passwords or give personal information on impulse.
Other popular scams include:
- Posing as a loved one in an emergency over the phone to have money or gift cards sent
- Selling counterfeit merchandise
- Fraudulent websites for investments
- Romance scam where a long-distance relationship turns into one person sending money to another
- Phishing emails and texts claiming to be a recognizable source asking for money or personal information
- Identity fraud
- Phony prize notifications
"Remember, if you didn't enter, you can't win," the OPP says. "You can't enter another country's lottery without purchasing a ticket from within that country."
All scams should be reported online with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre's online system.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Made-in-Newfoundland vodka claims top prize at worldwide competition
A Newfoundland-made vodka has been named one of the world’s best by judges at this year’s World Vodka Awards.