By Veronica Beltran

Phone scams

Phone scam investigation leads to BC arrest

Sep 23, 2019 | 11:20 AM

SURREY, B.C.–RCMP have arrested an individual in relation to laundering money related to fraudulent telephone scams, targeting Canadians.

The scams are believed to have originated in illegal call centres in India, however, an investigation led by the Federal Serious and Organized Crime section in BC, GTA-Financial Crime Section from Ontario, as well as the Burnaby RCMP Detachment revealed that a group of individuals operated money service businesses in the Lower Mainland– believed to launder the illegally obtained funds.

The arrested individual who is in Canada on a work visa, will have charges recommended against him.

The RCMP say they are determined to continue to catch individuals involved in these crimes, however, it is important that Canadians know how to protect themselves from the con-artists.

Here are some of the current phone and e-mail scams:

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• Canada Revenue Scam: The victim receives a phone call, purportedly from Canada Revenue Agency, advising an audit reveals they still owe money from a previous tax year. The victim is put in contact with a supposed police officer who threatens their arrest if they fail to pay. The victim is then tricked into sending money to the suspect’s mailbox address, purchasing iTunes gift or Google Play cards and/or disclosing his/her PIN # or other personal information.
• Bank Inspector Scam: The victim receives a phone call, purportedly from the bank who alerts them to fraud activity on their account. The victim agrees to cooperate with a police investigation and their call is transferred to a person they believe is an RCMP officer. The victim allows police to access their online bank account, who manipulate the funds to give the appearance that police have made a large deposit into the account. The victim is directed to withdraw large sums of cash and send to one of the above-noted mailbox address, or purchasing Google Play cards and disclosing the PIN.
• Computer Virus Scam: The victim receives a phone call from a Computer virus software company, alleging they are going out of business and owe the victim a refund. The victim allows the caller remote access to their computer for the purpose of making a direct payment into their online bank account. The caller makes an ‘overpayment’ and directs the victim to send the cash difference to one of the above-noted mailbox addresses.

More information on phone scams can be found here.