Police say victims thought they were talking to their bank.
Niagara Regional Police are investigating after an elderly Niagara Falls couple were scammed out of $22,000.
Police say on May 12th, the scammers contacted the victims through a computer "pop up", then called them on the phone.
The victims were tricked into thinking they were talking to their bank, and were asked to make payments using gift cards from stores in Burlington and Niagara Falls.
All of the gift card numbers were provided to the fraudsters.
Officers say there is limited information about the suspects, except that they are male, and one of them sounded to be in his 50s with an accent.
The NRP offers the following tips to protect yourself from becoming a victim of fraud:
- Never confirm any personal information over the phone.
- Always verify who is calling.
- Don’t be pressured. Stop. Take some time to process what you have been told, to see if it makes sense.
- Ask a trusted friend or family member for their opinion.
- If you’re in doubt, call your local police service.
More information about scams can be found here.
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