Innisfil man, 84, scammed out of 'a significant sum of money' with fake GIC offer

Email scam under investigation. (File Image)

Police issued a warning about a fraudulent GIC offer that scammed an 84-year-old Innisfil man out of "a significant sum of money."

South Simcoe police say the senior contacted them after he lost funds transferred to what turned out to be a fake Manulife Financial account.

The victim told police he was contacted through email in October by someone claiming to be a senior accounts advisor with Manulife.

He said that over several weeks he received brochures and a GIC application.

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Police say the senior provided the requested identification, opened an account and transferred an undisclosed amount of money.

A relative of the man contacted Manulife and it was confirmed the account was not linked to the company.

Earlier this month, Manulife became aware of fraudulent activity and urged people to be on the lookout.

The company stated, "A fraudulent product offer referencing Manulife and Manulife Bank is currently in circulation. It promotes inaccurate GIC rates and portrays false information.

Please do not share any personal information, and contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and local police authorities if you've been offered this product.

No employee or authorized agent of Manulife or Manulife Bank or any related entity is in any way associated with these materials or actions. We are actively monitoring and investigating this situation and taking steps to protect our clients and community."

South Simcoe police advise the public to always check email addresses to ensure they are legitimate and research before sending money.