FRAUD ALERT: Phone Call Scams Are on the Rise This Holiday Season
By Janice Holt
November 17, 2019
WASHINGTON (AGN.News) – Fraudsters are masking their real phone numbers using a hidden program called spoofing to hide their real numbers as a cover for fraud.
These includes scammers from Africa, the Caribbean, Canada, Asia, Europe, United States, people who call you to warn you of a scam, callers who say they can lock out malware from your website are likely scammers.
Local thieves can be scammers or debt-buyers, “website security” companies, credit repair, debt collectors, creditors, online scammers, cyber criminals, men or women, old or young, and local newbies (scammers could be from anywhere) are likely cellphone scammers participating in this type of telephone fraud scheme.
This type of phone scams should be treated just like email scams, DO NOT open emails from people or companies you do not know or expect to get emails from, ever! DO NOT send money to these scam artists. Police are asking anyone who has been a victim of this type of fraud should report it to local police.
Scammers use toll free numbers of legitimate government agencies … these numbers have been spoofed in this current round of scams and remember no calls from these numbers should be returned. If you detect a scam call you should hang up immediately. Keep in mind, upwards of 50% of all cellphone calls are scam calls. DO NOT become a victim!
Toronto Police Service says anyone who has been a victim of this type of fraud should report it to local police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre online or over the phone at 1-888-495-8501. The fraud centre is also alerting Canadians that its toll free number has been spoofed in this current scam and no calls from this number should be returned.
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Written by
Janice Holt
