THE Abbotsford Police Department is warning the public to be wary of phone calls which call display indicates as coming from “Abbotsford Police”.

Abbotsford Police are investigating two cases in which fraudsters called a victim, claimed to be an officer with Service Canada, and advised that the victim’s identity had been compromised. The fraudster then stated that they would connect the victim with the police to verify the claim.

The victim was placed on hold, then received another incoming call from caller ID “Abbotsford Police”.  A second fraudster identified himself as a police officer, and confirmed that the victim is involved in an ID fraud investigation.  The caller advised the victim that they could assist in securing their account by depositing $5,000 in a Bitcoin cryptocurrency machine.

“These types of calls are placed with technology which easily allows the caller to select a specific name or number to appear on the recipient’s call display,” said Sgt Judy Bird. “The fraudster will usually claim to be a person of authority and ask for personal information such as a social insurance number or banking information.”

Phone scams are becoming more sophisticated, making it easier to coax victims into sending them money. Unfortunately, many individuals who do fall victim to these scams cannot recoup the money they send, police warned.

If you suspect you are the target of a phone scam:

• Resist the urge to act immediately, no matter how dramatic the story is.
• Hang up. Contact the police agency directly to ensure the legitimacy of the call.
• Police agencies will never request money or personal information.  Don’t send payment to a physical address. Be wary if cash, gift cards or cryptocurrency (e.g., Bitcoin) is requested.

To report or for more information about how to protect yourself from fraud, visit: https://antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/report-signalez-eng.htm