Fraud warning issued by DRPS after 2,500 cases investigated this year in Oshawa, Durham Region

Durham Police are reminding residents of the dangers of fraud after Investigators in the DRPS Financial Crimes Unit reported they have investigated more than 2,500 confirmed fraud incidents in the first eight months of 2024 alone.

These cases have resulted in the loss of more than $10 million, police say.

What is fraud? It’s a false representation of a matter of fact – whether by words or by conduct, by false or misleading allegations, or by concealment of what should have been disclosed – that deceives and is intended to deceive another so that the individual will act upon it.

“Fraudsters are real. They spend their day developing new schemes to separate you from your hard-earned money and they are good at what they do. They can target you in person, through the mail, through telephone contact and/or through the internet.”

Thousands of Canadians fall victim to fraud each year with losses in the billions of dollars. The impact is felt by individuals, families, businesses and society as a whole. The best way to fight against fraud, according to Durham Police, is by having the knowledge to recognize it before you part with your money or property.

Common scams:

• The Grandparent Scam usually involves a grandparent receiving a phone call from a person claiming to be their grandchild. The caller advises they have been arrested and require cash to be released. The phone is then passed to an individual claiming to be a police officer or bond officer and a demand for cash payment is made to release the grandchild.
• A Romance Scam involves any individual with false romantic intentions toward a victim in order to gain their trust and affection for the purpose of obtaining the victim’s money or access to their bank accounts or credit cards. In some cases, the suspect will even attempt to get the victim to commit fraud on their behalf – as a money mule (accepting, then transferring money or goods) often unknowingly. Most romance scams begin via social media sites or online dating sites. The typical victim is between 50-59 years of age and often met through social networking.
• The Lottery Scam is a form of advance-fee scam. The victims receive a phone call, letter or email announcing that they won a substantive prize i.e. monetary or a vehicle. The lottery will claim to originate from outside Ontario, often from London, England. The victim is told they have to send money to cover duty, taxes, delivery and legal fees before they will be able to collect the winnings.
• CRA Scams, taxpayers receive fraudulent communications via text message, email, phone or letter that claim to be from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). The fraudsters pressure the victims to either pay an outstanding balance to avoid arrest or provide personal information in order to receive a tax refund.
• Investment Scams are the largest cause of financial loss through fraud in Canada. According to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, $163.9 million was lost to investment scams in 2021 alone.
  Victims may be targeted through social media, online ads, fraudulent websites, or even in-person by someone they trust, and are often promised higher-than-normal returns with little to no risk.
• The Broken Phone Scam: The scammer sends a text message to the victim, claiming to be a family member. They say their cell phone is broken or dropped in water and need immediate assistance making a payment. The scammer will then provide or use an alternate phone number to contact them and ask a favour to pay a bill, requesting funds via e-transfer. The victim then makes an e-transfer to the scammer’s email address, thinking they are helping a loved one.
  Know your rights when you sign a contract at your door and learn about how to avoid common
• Door-to-Door Scams. Certain products and services cannot be offered or sold at your home unless you initiate the transaction. For example, by calling or emailing a business and asking them to come to your home for the purpose of entering into a contract.
• The Taxi Scam is where the victim is approached by a suspect who is asking for help paying for a cab. The story is the suspect only has cash and the cab (which is standing by) only takes debit/credit.