The Hawkesbury Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is warning the public to be vigilant after multiple frauds were reported in the Hawkesbury area during the first week of November.
A suspect posing as a government worker is contacting individuals in the Hawkesbury area, advising that their personal accounts have been compromised. The suspect is then asking victims to send money through Bitcoin ATMs to verify their bank accounts.
You may be getting scammed if the caller:
- is demanding immediate payment
- has a phone number that closely resembles your own
- uses threatening or aggressive language
- sends you a link to an external website or form
- requests money through gift cards or cryptocurrency
If you believe you have become a victim of fraud, contact the Hawkesbury OPP detachment, and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 (toll-free), or report online on the Fraud Reporting System (FRS). You can also call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or report the incident online at OntarioCrimeStoppers.ca.
