South Simcoe Police have become the latest force in Ontario to sound the alarm on a telecom scam that’s leaving people stuck with thousands of dollars in charges for devices they no longer have.
The warning, issued Monday, covers Innisfil and Bradford, and follows up on a similar alert the service put out back in July. Police say reports have only gone up since.
If this sounds familiar, that’s because it should. Toronto Police issued their own warning about the same scheme earlier this month, and we covered a B.C. Rogers customer who was left owing more than $4,000 after two iPhones were ordered in her name. Back in May, we also detailed a version involving “free” iPads that left victims on the hook for around $2,300.
Here’s how the scam works, if you haven’t read about it yet. Victims first get an unsolicited call from someone claiming to represent a company like Rogers or Fido with a spoofed caller ID. They pitch a special promo and arrange for phones, tablets or other electronics to be shipped to your address. Once the devices arrive, the caller circles back claiming there’s a problem with the order, and either instructs you to mail the items back or sends someone to collect them from your door. If you send back the items to the third party address, that’s when you are totally screwed and scammed.
What makes this one work is that nobody asks you for money up front. Real hardware actually shows up at your house, which makes the whole thing feel real right up until the bill arrives. South Simcoe Police note that a legitimate-looking caller ID means nothing here, since phone numbers can be spoofed without much effort.
Police are advising people to treat any unexpected promos with suspicion, and to never hand over personal, banking or account details to a caller you didn’t expect. You should always call back your provider at their legit phone number. Police also say you should never let an unknown person pick up a package from your home, and it’s worth reviewing your accounts regularly for charges you didn’t authorize.
If you think you’ve been targeted, contact your provider directly, then report it to police and to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
Again, how to stop getting scammed? Don’t answer unknown phone calls or text, plus any emails. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
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