The New Brunswick RCMP has received reports of a number of scams circulating throughout the province. Scammers are using seemingly legitimate agency or business names like the RCMP, Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), Microsoft, major credit card providers and banking institutions, to lure would-be victims.
"These agency or business names could appear on your call display, appearing to be legitimate," says Sgt. Andrew Griffiths of the Oromocto RCMP. "The caller may ask for your social insurance number or other personal information. In some cases, threatens that you will be arrested if you don't do what they ask."
Do not provide confidential personal or financial information to anyone over the phone or online. Call the company or institution in question using a phone number from a reputable source – not one provided by the suspected fraudster – so you can verify whether the request is real and what you need to do.
The RCMP is reminding the public that no government agency, legitimate business or financial institution would threaten clients, ask for your social insurance number or suggest fines be paid with a gift card or cryptocurrency.
If you've been called or emailed by a suspected scammer, contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or www.antifraudcentre.ca. If you've paid money, pre-paid credit cards, gift cards or bitcoin because of a scam, contact your local police.