Online scammers impersonating RCMP investigators in eastern Ontario, police warn

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The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says a new online scam in which the fraudster pretends to be an RCMP investigator has been circulating in eastern Ontario.

Police say they received a call from a resident in Hawkesbury, Ont. claiming she received a pop-up message on her screen saying that there was a virus on her computer and asking her to contact a number claiming it’s for "Apple.”

When the victim called the proved number, she was asked to download a popular remote entry software, giving the fraudster -- who’s posing as a tech support employee -- full control of her laptop, police add.

After accessing the victim’s account, the fraudster told her that her Internet Protocol (IP) address “was associated to an international child pornography and money laundering investigation.” The fraudster then suggested to transfer her to an RCMP cyber crimes investigator, police say.

However, when the victim challenged the fraudster with questions, she was able to determine it was a fraud, the OPP adds.

That was when she called the OPP and when officers provided her with the correct information to protect her financial accounts.

The OPP says the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre received reports totaling $22.2 million in losses related to service frauds.

Here are the warning signs that police want you to know:

• Be suspicious about unsolicited phone calls, emails or pop-ups stating your computer/device is infected with a virus, a threat has been detected or a subscription will be automatically renewed.

• Look up the legitimate phone number for the company and communicate with them directly by always making the outgoing call.

• Never allow an individual to remotely access your computer. If you are experiencing problems with your operating system, bring it to a local technician.

• Never provide any personal or financial information over the telephone, unless you initiated the call.

Anyone who might have been a victim of a fraud or know someone who has, is asked to call police and to report it to the CAFC at 1-888-495-8501 or online on the Fraud Reporting System (FRS), even if a financial loss did not occur.