5 new scams to be aware of this week in Mississauga and Brampton
Published February 20, 2023 at 1:26 pm
Phishing is on the rise and we’re not talking about the ones involving the creatures of the sea. This scam often deceives people into revealing sensitive information by clicking a link or installing an app that has malware.
Here are 5 of the latest scams that have been targeting Mississauga and Brampton residents:
Fraudsters prey on people looking for a partner using e-mail messages, chat applications, online chat groups, and fake profiles on social media and dating sites.
The messages often read “where are you?”, “where have you been?”
Once the victim responds, the fraudster starts a conversation and attempts to build a relationship with them.
Eventually, the scammer asks for money for travel, a medical emergency or assistance with a family emergency or convinces the victim to invest in a fraudulent cryptocurrency platform.
This one takes stealing personal information to a whole other level.
The text includes an image of the retailer which in this case was United Parcel Service to make it seem legitimate. The message lets the recipient know that an outstanding balance is owed for a previous package that was delivered and if not paid soon, the interest will grow.
A link that will take you to the site to make the payment, is included at the end of the text.
The scariest part is the spelling of your name and postal code is accurate.
The text message appears to look like the person got the wrong number. It could be a question, or someone letting you know they can’t make a meeting and informing you they have sent something.
“Did you receive it? Sent like a [sic] hour ago?” reads one such text circulating in Mississauga.
If this message is responded to the scammer will lure you into a friendly conversation and then switch to them asking you for money.
A fear inducing scam on the elderly to have them think someone they love is in danger.
It involves a phone call to an elderly person from a scammer who claims to be their grandchild, a lawyer, or a police officer. They then make the victim believe their grandchild has been arrested and needs help, in the form of bail money, otherwise they will go directly to jail.
Recently, two Mississauga residents were arrested in connection to a grandparent scam. OPP said that the suspects were charged with fraud above $5,000.
A scammer will call falsely claiming to be the customer’s utility service. They will demand a Smart Meter fee to be paid otherwise they will disconnect the customer’s electricity.
Some forms of payment the scammers accepted are pre-paid credit cards, gift cards, Paypal, or Bitcoin.
Resident’s should act suspicious anytime they receive calls, texts, and emails from companies asking for money and never click on any links on your phone from an unknown number.
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