Scams of 2018 Woodstock

Tuesday, 8 January 2019 at 08:23

Woodstock Police are looking to crack down on frauds and scams in the New Year.

WOODSTOCK - Woodstock Police are hoping to raise awareness about Frauds and Scams in the New Year.

Over the next week, we will be highlighting some of the scams that hit the Friendly City in 2018. Community Service Officer Shaylyn Jackson says the most common scam is a phone call from someone pretending to work for the CRA.

"They will essentially call and threaten you, saying that you owe money in back taxes and if you don't pay up they will call police to arrest you. Often when the calls are happening the victims will receive another call that looks like it is coming from the Woodstock Police Station. Essentially it looks like the victim is receiving a call from police, which kind of sets people into a bit of a panic when there is someone on the other line threatening to have them arrested unless money is being paid."

Jackson says the CRA will never call and threaten you like that to pay money and you should always hang up if you get a call like that.

Another scam to watch out for is bogus rental properties being sold on Kijiji. Scammers are stealing photos from of houses listed for sale and are posting the pictures on Kijiji listing the house for rent. The victims will send a deposit to the scammers to hold the house until they are able to go see the house. Upon arrival the victim finds out the house is for sale, not for rent.

Jackson says you should only call police if you are a victim of fraud. If you have had a fraud call but no money was exchanged you can report it online at http://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/ or by calling Canadian Anti-Fraud Center at 1-888-495-8501.

Fraud Prevention Tips

* Do not call these people back

* Do not open emails from unfamiliar senders

* Do not provide any personal information such as social insurance number, credit card number, bank account information or passport numbers.

* If you are pressured to access a fraudulent website, don't.

* The CRA will never ask you to provide personal information by email

* Be suspicious if asked to pay taxes or fees on lottery or sweepstakes winnings

* Never share access codes, user ID, or PIN numbers

* Make sure you choose a trusted tax preparer