Oceanside RCMP are asking people to be cautious when it comes to unsolicited phone calls or advertisements for cryptocurrency.
Two PQB residents recently lost a combined $220,000 after being snared in a pair of scams such as these, according to police.
The first incident started with an unsolicited phone call from someone purporting to work for a phone provider, and ended with a resident being defrauded of more than $132,000.
The incident, which was reported to police on Aug. 20, involved an elderly person receiving a call from someone who identified themselves with a well-known telecom company, according to Sgt. Shane Worth of the Oceanside RCMP.
Somehow, the fraudster gained access to the victim’s online bank account information, where several unauthorized withdrawals and international wire transfers were completed. The victim is working with the bank to recover their losses, however recovery of the lost funds is not guaranteed, Worth added.
Oceanside RCMP General Investigation Section continues to investigate in conjunction with the bank.
"Residents are reminded to be extremely cautious of unsolicited telephone calls," Worth told the PQB News. "If a company calls you to offer a deal or promotional offer, never feel pressured to accept the deal or provide any personal details such as your name or banking information. If you are interested in the company and their offer, research their contact information and contact them directly yourself."
The second case happened the next day (Aug. 21) when a resident saw an advertisement depicting a prominent politician recommending investments in crypto currency, which promised substantial gains, according to RCMP.
The resident called a phone number on the advertisement and initially invested $350. They were told the investment was making substantial earnings and they continued to invest more money.
Eventually, when the resident tried to make a withdrawal on their investments, they were unable and soon realized they had been defrauded of $90,000.
"This advertisement depicting the politician has since proven to be fake," Worth said. "Police recommend only to invest with known and trusted investment companies, banks and firms."
RCMP recommend people research on any potential investments by talking to friends, family or people they trust. Often, by doing a simple internet search, these types of investments will immediately show up as a scam.
"As always, if you are promised exceptionally high returns on your investment, it is probably too good to be true and it is a scam," Worth said. "If you send money into one of these investment frauds, you will likely never recover your money."
