Warning: Scams Involving Fake Financial Institution Employees and Fake Mail Carriers

Gatineau, March 12, 2021. – The Service de police de la Ville de Gatineau (SPVG) is warning the public about a recently observed scam within its territory involving fake financial institution employees and fake Canada Post mail carriers.

Quick facts

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SPVG has been alerted to scams involved similar modus operandi within its territory: - scammers contact the victims by phone, introducing themselves as an employee of the fraud department of a well-known financial institution; - they tell the victims that they have detected suspicious use of their debit or credit card, and that they should hand it over to someone who will stop by their place to pick it up: that accomplice then shows up and introduces themselves as a Canada Post employee or a colleague from the financial institution they claim to represent; - some victims hand over their card in person to the accomplice, while others, following the caller's instructions, leave it in a sealed envelope in their mailbox; and - the scammers then use the cards to make purchases or withdrawals in different locations.

●	These scammers target customers of different financial institutions, and have enough information about the victims to put them at ease and convince them to hand over all of their bank cards with any financial institution they deal with.

●	Note: a financial institution will never ask a customer to hand over their card: they will tell them to destroy it and will issue a new one, which is sent by mail or can be picked up directly at their branch.

●	Scammers have more than one trick up their sleeve and can be very convincing. In this current scheme, they impersonate Canada Post employees, and in one of the cases investigated by SPVG, they even had a vehicle that looked like a Canada Post vehicle.

●	Scams know no borders: this particular one appears to have also occurred in other parts of Quebec.

Safety tips

●	Today's technology enables scammers to display any number on your phone. So even if the number displayed is that of your financial institution, be wary!

●	If you receive a call from someone who claims to work for a financial institution and is calling to inform you of a suspicious transaction in your account, hang up and call the number on the back of your bank card to check for yourself.

●	Scammers are clever. They will try to create a sense of urgency, and will pressure you to reveal sensitive information. Never give out personal information, your credit or debit card number, or your PIN (personal identification number) to anyone whose identity you cannot confirm.

●	If in doubt, hang up and contact your local police.

Related link

Prévention de la fraude

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