Stressful phone call/Shutterstock
Vancouver Police Department is warning the public about a new phone scam that’s hit the city.
In this latest scam, the fraudsters state they are calling from Canada Revenue Agency and demand victims pay false debts. In a new twist, the caller than asks the victim to look up and provide the number for the police department. The scammer hangs up and the victims then receive a second call from a person posing as a police officer.
The number on the call display shows up as the Vancouver Police Department’s non-emergency line.
The fraudster even provides a fake badge number and tells the victim that their social insurance number has been used to create credit card accounts with substantial balances owing. The victim is then told they are responsible for the debt and told to pay it using bitcoin or gift cards.
“The non-emergency police line is for residents to use to report incidents to the police,” media relations officer Sgt. Aaron Roed said in a press release. “The police will never call you from the non-emergency number and will never solicit payment.
“We ask that if you receive a call like this, you hang up immediately and spread the word to friends and family.”
Police encourage residents to report scams to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre online or toll free at 1-888-495-8501. The VPD is asking anyone who may have been the victim of fraud to contact the department at 604-717-3321 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
