Remember being told it’s not nice to hang up the phone on somebody else? It’s time to reconsider the value of that etiquette, especially now in world of telephone and online scams. Hanging up is your very best defence when a scammer calls.
Phone scams and frauds have been a problem for a long time, but the Regina Police Service is currently seeing an increase in reported frauds involving payment in PREPAID Credit Cards and Cryptocurrency. Please be aware when you receive a phone call and the caller states the following information (and be prepared to hang up):
- Caller identifies themselves as an employee of your financial institution;
- Caller tells you there is suspicious activity on your credit card or bank account;
- Caller tells you that your identity has been compromised;
- Caller tells you that you can help catch the “international criminals” and instructs you to go to specific retail locations and purchase prepaid cards;
- Caller then asks you to provide the prepaid card information over the phone, which gives the caller immediate access to the card and your money;
- Caller may also tell you to withdraw cash and deposit into a cryptocurrency terminal;
- Caller may leave a call back number or transfer you to the “security department” of your financial institution. There is no “security department”; it’s just part of a very convincing lie.
If you receive one of these calls, hang up immediately. Please remember that no financial institution will ask you to make a payment with gift cards or cryptocurrency. Contact your financial institution in person or call the number on the back of your debit/credit card to inquire about any suspicious activity on your accounts.
If you suspect you have already been a victim of this type of scam, call your financial institution immediately and report it to the Regina Police Service at 306-777-6500 or your local police agency.
