Kitscoty RCMP says scammers are faking local police numbers, so a call that looks official can still be a trick to get your money or codes.
A call that shows a real local police number may not be from the police. Kitscoty RCMP says scammers are faking phone numbers so calls appear to come from a local RCMP detachment, and it is asking residents to be careful.
The trick is called spoofing. Fraudsters change a phone number, email address or text message so it looks legitimate. Police have recently received reports of scammers posing as RCMP officers, government representatives, banks and cybercrime investigators. Some victims were told their personal information had been compromised. Others were told they were linked to a criminal investigation or had to act fast to protect their money.
The goal is to get personal information, banking details, passwords, security codes or payments. Pressure is the main tool. A familiar number or an official-sounding title does not prove who is calling, the detachment said in a news release Thursday.
The alert box above has the steps. The core idea is simple: do not trust caller ID, and check on your own. Anyone who hangs up and calls back using a number they looked up themselves is doing what police recommend.
If you think you were targeted, gather emails, texts, documents and transaction records. Report fraud to your local police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. Police say every report helps protect others and helps investigators.
The release does not say how many people were targeted, how much money was lost or who is behind the calls. Kitscoty RCMP takes information at 780-846-2781. Crime Stoppers, at 1-800-222-8477, accepts anonymous tips.
Caller ID can be faked, so never share codes, passwords or money until you verify the caller using a number you found yourself.
The Attala County Sheriff's Office in Mississippi says scam calls are reaching residents, and a call that sounds official may not be.
Read more: Mississippi sheriff warns residents about scam phone callsScammers are posing as Texas sheriff's officers and claiming you missed jury duty. Caller ID can show a real police number even when the call is fake.
Read more: Fake jury duty calls spoof a real Texas sheriff's phone numberFake PayPal emails and texts, some posing as a security report, try to get you to tap a link and type your login. Checking your account directly avoids the trap.
Read more: Got a fake PayPal message? Skip its link and check your account yourself
