$1.1M lost in just over a month to fraudsters posing as Chinese police: Richmond RCMP
Mounties in Richmond say more than a million dollars was lost to fraudsters posing as police or government officials in just over a month.
The detachment issued a warning Friday, saying it received seven reports of scammers pretending to be police between March 1 and April 8. While no money was sent in three of the cases, a total of $1.1 million was lost in the other instances.
Police said the fraudsters posed as Chinese police or government officials while targeting their victims.
"These fraudsters can be very convincing. They employ various tactics to trick people including spoofing legitimate phone numbers, or making threats of police action if payment is not made," said Sgt. Dave Au in a news release. "Ultimately, they have one objective, to get your money."
Mounties explained anyone who is asked by someone claiming to be a government official for payment in Bitcoin, Google Play or iTunes gifts cards should hang up and report the incident to police.
It's not just police-related scams locals need to watch out for. Last month, Richmond RCMP said in a warning residents of that city lost more than $16 million in 2023 to "sophisticated online scams combining romance and investment schemes." Known as "pig butchering scams," police said the perpetrators typically spend weeks or months "grooming" their victims, often beginning their interaction "under the guise of a mistaken identity."
"These types of scams continue to surface in our community and unfortunately people continue to fall prey to these fraudsters," Cpl. Adriana O’Malley said in a statement. "These frauds can have a devastating financial and emotional impact on the victims which is why we continue to issue these public warnings in the hope of preventing further victimization."
Anyone who thinks they've been a victim of a scam should contact their local police department and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
With files from CTV News Vancouver's Ian Holliday
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors concerned about potential spread of bird flu in Canada
H5N1 or avian flu has been detected at dozens of US dairy farms and Canadian experts are urging surveillance on our side of the border too.
There's a limit to how much interest rates in Canada and U.S. can diverge: Macklem
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canadian interest rates don't have to match U.S. or global rates, but there is a limit to how much they can diverge.
TD Bank hit with $9.2M penalty after failing to report suspicious transactions
Canada's financial intelligence agency says it has levied a $9.2-million penalty against The Toronto-Dominion Bank for non-compliance with money laundering and terrorist financing measures as the bank also faces compliance investigations in the U.S.
Prince William and Kate release photo of daughter Charlotte to mark ninth birthday
Prince William and his wife Kate released a picture of their daughter Charlotte to mark the princess's ninth birthday on Thursday.
This Canadian restaurant just lowered its prices. Here's how it did it
A Canadian restaurant lowered its prices this week, and though news of price tags dropping rather than climbing sounds unusual, the business strategy in this case is not, according to experts in the field.
Should I invest with a human or a robot? Traditional firms vs. robo-advisors
Investors considering where to park their money have a choice: go with a traditional financial adviser or trust in an algorithm. Here are the pros and cons of both.
Five human skeletons, missing hands and feet, found outside house of Nazi leader Hermann Goring
Archeologists have unearthed the skeletons of five people, missing their hands and feet, at a former Nazi military base in Poland.
Imagine living in a 4-foot body that doesn't develop chronic diseases
Nathaly Paola Castro Torres has a rare disorder called Laron syndrome that is caused by a genetic mutation. It stunts her growth but also provides a hidden silver lining: Her body is protected from chronic diseases such as cancer that often take life away long before old age.
Concerns about Plexiglas prompt inspections at some Loblaws locations in Ottawa
Inspections are underway at more than one Loblaws location in Ottawa after complaints were filed about tall Plexiglas barriers.