Northumberland OPP are investigating a report of fraud involving the impersonation of a police officer.
On Friday, the OPP received a report from a Northumberland resident who had been contacted by someone claiming to be from their financial institution. The caller advised the victim that their bank account had been compromised and that a follow-up call from the OPP would provide next steps.
Shortly after, the victim received a second call that appeared to come from a Greater Toronto Area police service. The caller claimed to be an OPP officer and instructed the victim to withdraw cash from their financial institution and transfer it to an e-currency wallet to secure the funds.
The fraudsters further advised that the victim would receive a new debit card in the mail to access the funds at a later time.
As a result of this scam, the victim suffered a substantial financial loss. The investigation is ongoing.
The OPP are reminding the public that officers will never ask you to withdraw money, transfer funds to cryptocurrency wallets, or send cash through the mail. Police are advising residents that if they receive a suspicious call claiming to be from police or a financial institution, hang up, and call the organization directly with a verified phone number.
