RCMP Warns of Phone Number Spoofing Scam in Ontario

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) O Division’s Windsor detachment has issued a warning about a phone spoofing scam.

According to the RCMP on Friday, the detachment’s phone number, (519) 948-5287, is being unlawfully used by scammers to intimidate and defraud victims.

With spoofing, a device masks the real phone number and displays a different number, in this case, the RCMP’s number. This technique is tricking victims into believing they are speaking with legitimate law enforcement officers.

The RCMP emphasizes that they will never ask for payments using Bitcoin or gift cards, nor will they show up at residences to collect money for a child in jail. This is a typical way for scammers to extract money from victims. Additionally, they will not request personal information such as Social Insurance Numbers (SIN), dates of birth (DOB), or phone numbers.

It’s important to note that in Ontario, the RCMP enforces federal laws, focusing on areas such as national security, border integrity, and financial crimes like cybercrime and money laundering. They are not the primary police jurisdiction in Ontario.

The RCMP advises the public to be vigilant and informed about these scams. If anyone suspects they are being scammed, they should hang up, wait ten minutes, and then call their local police service. This waiting period is crucial as scammers can maintain a spoofed phone number for up to 10 minutes. When in doubt, just hang up the phone.

Victims of such scams are urged to report the incident to their local police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.