Simcoe County victims conned out of thousands of dollars with gift card scams
Residents in Simcoe County are being warned of scams involving the purchase of gift cards.
The South Simcoe Police Service says it's investigating a series of recent frauds where victims in Bradford and Innisfil lost thousands of dollars due to these scammers.
Victims were instructed to purchase gift cards through phone calls and emails in an urgent manner.
"Several victims purchased gift cards with a total loss of over $10,000 after receiving requests in fake emails from employers and friends, "police said in a Friday press release.
"A victim purchased over $9,000 worth of gift cards after receiving a call from someone claiming to be from a financial institution regarding unauthorized activity on a credit card.
"Several victims lost a total of over $2,000 after starting what turned out to be fake, work-from-home jobs, and were instructed by the "employer" to purchase gift cards. "
AVOID BECOMING A VICTIM
Any requests to purchase gift cards through a phone call or email should be considered a red flag, police say.
Contact your bank or credit card company to verify the legitimacy of those reaching out asking you to purchase these cards.
Seek advice from friends, family or police, and never provide personal information, including your social insurance number or banking information.
Police say to hang up the phone if you didn't initiate the call and don't know the person on the other end.
Residents are asked to report fraud to the police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre by calling toll-free 1-888-495-8501.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Lack of detention space could force CBSA to release detainees, internal memo warns
The Canada Border Security Agency is scrambling to find space to hold high-risk detainees that are set to be transferred from provincial jails in June.
BREAKING American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
BREAKING Allman Brothers Band co-founder and legendary guitarist Dickey Betts dies at 80
Guitar legend Dickey Betts, who co-founded the Allman Brothers Band and wrote their biggest hit, 'Ramblin' Man,' has died. He was 80.
Trend Line Anger, pessimism towards federal government reach six-year high: Nanos survey
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.
Police make arrests in grandparent scam that defrauded victims out of $739K
Ontario Provincial Police say they have 'disrupted' an organized crime group that allegedly used an emergency grandparent scam to defraud seniors across Canada out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Motion to allow keffiyehs at Ontario legislature fails
A motion to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh within Queen’s Park failed to receive unanimous consent Thursday just moments after Ontario Premier Doug Ford reiterated his view that prohibiting the garment in the House is divisive.
What does it mean to be 'house poor' and how can you avoid it?
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
Calgary man charged with manslaughter in death of toddler
Calgary police say Winston Campbell, 45, has been charged in the death of a two-year-old girl in 2022.
B.C. child killer's lawyer walks out of review hearing
The lawyer representing child-killer Allan Schoenborn walked out of his client's annual review hearing Wednesday – abruptly ending proceedings marked by tense exchanges and several outbursts.