Investigators with the SPS Economic Crime Section are cautioning the public about a recent scam occurring in our city.
The scam includes fraudsters, claiming to be from Service Canada, calling people to inform them that their social insurance number (SIN) has been used fraudulently. The fraudster tells the victim that their SIN is now involved in criminal investigations and a warrant for their arrest has been issued. The victim is instructed to pay a fee to avoid being arrested. The fraudsters reportedly call the victim again, using a spoofed SPS or RCMP phone number. They then provide instructions to the victim on how to deposit the money into bitcoin ATM's. Some have also been instructed to purchase "Google Play" gift cards and provide them with their information. These fraudsters are extremely difficult to prosecute and victims rarely recover their lost funds.
Remember, police and government agencies will never ask for bitcoin payment. If you are unsure about the call, ask the caller for their number to call them back. If they refuse or make you feel threatened or rushed, it is likely a scam. You can also contact the government agency, police or your financial institution for advice. The attached posters are placed at bitcoin ATM's across Saskatoon.
If you have become a victim of Fraud, please report it to SPS: saskatoonpolice.ca/onlinereporting/fraud/. To report attempted and unsuccessful scams, please report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre: https://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/index-eng.htm
