Burnaby RCMP are warning the public to stay vigilant, as an “ever-evolving phone scam” has led to one victim being defrauded of a million dollars.
According to a release from the RCMP, scammers posing as telephone company employees contacted a Burnaby woman in June.
The scammers told the victim that she was linked to a fraud investigation and eventually redirected her to a “foreign police station” where she talked to several people she thought were police officers.
“The communications were moved over to a video conference, where the victim was convinced she was speaking to the police, as an elaborate police station could be seen in the background,” said Burnaby RCMP.
“The fraudsters provided the victim with her passport and driver’s licence numbers, which made the claims even more believable.”
Between July and September, four large transfers totalling $1 million were completed by the victim after she was convinced to pay bail to avoid travelling abroad.
“This type of fraud is not new, but the construction of an elaborate police station is new,” said Cpl. Mike Kalanj with the Burnaby RCMP.
“These scammers continually develop new angles to get your money. Always be skeptical when unknown individuals are asking for personal details or money.”
High-tech phone scams are on the rise in Metro Vancouver.
VPD recently warned Vancouver residents who received a text scam message about speeding tickets to avoid clicking links inside it.
Richmond RCMP alerted residents to a spoofing scam that is catching some folks off guard. One incident highlighted was a victim being told they were under investigation and asked to deposit $4,000 in Bitcoin to the fraudsters.
Vancouver police also warned residents this summer about sophisticated financial scams involving fraudsters impersonating bank investigators.
