WEYBURN — The Weyburn Police Service (WPS) is advising the public about an ongoing scam in which suspects claim that a victim's bank account or credit card has been compromised.
In these incidents, the WPS says victims receive a phone call, text message or email from an individual claiming to represent a financial institution, credit card company, government agency or fraud department. The caller advises the victim that their account has been hacked or that suspicious transactions have been detected.
The victim is then instructed to move their money to a "safe" account to protect it from fraud. The WPS said in many cases, victims are directed to withdraw funds and deposit them into a Bitcoin ATM, or purchase cryptocurrency and transfer it to a wallet controlled by the suspect.
Once funds have been transferred, they are extremely difficult to recover, the WPS said.
Legitimate financial institutions, police agencies and government organizations will never request that you move money into Bitcoin, cryptocurrency accounts, gift cards, or other unconventional payment methods to protect your funds.
Tips from the WPS are to be suspicious of urgent requests that pressure people to act immediately; hang up and contact their bank or credit card company directly using a verified phone number; speak with their bank, a trusted family member, or a friend before sending large amounts of money; report suspected fraud to local police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre; never provide banking information, passwords, or verification codes to unsolicited callers; and never send money or cryptocurrency to someone who contacts you unexpectedly.
If someone instructs you to use a Bitcoin ATM or cryptocurrency exchange to protect your money, the WPS said it is a scam.
Anyone who believes they may have been the victim of this scam is encouraged to contact the Weyburn Police Service and report the incident immediately.
The WPS is also reminding residents to exercise caution when communicating with individuals online, particularly those they have never met in person.
In these scams, individuals believe they are involved in a legitimate online relationship and can share intimate photos or videos with someone they have never met. The suspect then threatens to distribute those images to the victim's friends, family members or social media contacts unless money is paid.
The WPS strongly recommends never sharing intimate images online and encourages anyone who becomes a victim of this type of extortion to contact police immediately before sending any money.
To help protect yourself, the WPS said people should:
- Be cautious when forming relationships online, especially with individuals who quickly express strong feelings or seek personal information;
- Never feel pressured to send intimate photos or videos, regardless of how well you believe you know the person;
- Remember that once an image is sent electronically, you lose control over how it may be used or shared;
- Review your social media privacy settings and limit public access to your friends list, personal information, and photographs;
- Be cautious of requests to move conversations to private messaging platforms shortly after meeting someone online;
- Watch for warning signs such as requests for money, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or other financial assistance;
- Verify the identity of individuals you meet online whenever possible through video calls or in-person meetings in safe public locations;
- If someone threatens to distribute intimate images unless you pay money, do not send payment. Paying often leads to further demands for money;
- Preserve all communications, screenshots, usernames, email addresses and payment requests as evidence; and
- Report the incident to police immediately and notify the social media platform or website where the communication occurred.
Anyone with information regarding any of these matters, or any other matter of a criminal nature, is encouraged to contact the Weyburn Police Service at 306-848-3250, the local RCMP Detachment at 310-7267 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
