WPS warns scammers are pretending to be police with spoofed caller ID
Winnipeg police are warning the public not to trust caller ID, as fraudsters are finding ways to spoof the technology and impersonate officers.
Const. Jay Murray says they’ve had a few recent reports of phone scammers using caller ID to make it appear as if they are from a Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) number, often the general inquiry line – 204-986-6313.
“From that point, they claim to be a police officer or an investigator of some type and attempt to use components of an existing scam, such as the grandparents or a (Canada Revenue Agency) scam, to try and obtain personal information, gift cards, money or credit card details,” Murray explained.
Grandparent scams typically involve a panicked call to an elderly person, with the person on the line claiming to be a grandchild or a family member who is in jail and needs money immediately.
READ MORE: Winnipeg police warn of 'new twist' on scam targeting grandparents
Murray says in this iteration, the caller impersonates police and asks for money or gift cards to help the family member, usually involving some sense of urgency.
“People tend to sometimes make rash decisions under pressure, maybe they don't have an opportunity to corroborate some of that information,” he said.
Murray says spoofing caller ID is nothing new, but this is the first time fraudsters have used WPS’ general inquiries line.
He notes the caller ID system is not very secure, and people should know that it might not necessarily be accurate. The public is encouraged to try to confirm the identity of the person on the call.
If the caller claims they are a family member, ask the caller a few personal questions that a family member could answer but an imposter could not.
Additionally, he said police or courts, including lawyers, will never send someone to your home to try and collect money or gift cards. They will also never tell you to lie to your bank about the purpose of obtaining money.
Similarly, CRA will never demand immediate payment.
THE IMPORTANCE OF REPORTING SCAMS
Meantime, Murray says many of these crimes go unreported, as people who fall prey to them are either too embarrassed to come forward, or think reporting them won’t do anything.
“Reporting that, whether you've been a victim or not, whether it's been successful or not, is very important. Not only will it help yourself, but it helps us prevent this from happening to other people, as well,” he said, adding police can sometimes mitigate lost money or stop the transaction altogether.
More information on how to report a fraud or scam can be found on the WPS website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.