Region of Peel – The Peel Regional Police Fraud Bureau would like to inform the public of new and emerging scams related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This warning is made in conjunction with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC). With the spread of COVID-19 globally, fraudsters will be aiming to profit through the exploitation of community concern in our region, throughout the Greater Toronto Area and the country.
There are a number of scams that have already been reported to the CAFC at a national level including:
We would like to remind the public to use caution when being solicited for donations or for the purchase of a service. Consider these helpful tips:
- Companies offering duct cleaning or home decontamination services to protect from COVID-19.
- Fictional public health agencies saying you have tested positive for COVID-19 and asking for your personal/financial details.
- Suspects purporting to be from known charities asking for donations in exchange for masks or other medical products.
- Financial advisors pressuring people to invest in stocks related to COVID-19 or offering loans/financial support.
- Private companies selling fast and accurate COVID-19 tests.
- Do your research. Verify the organization or person.
- Watch out for deceptive ads, emails or telephone calls.
- Do not be afraid to say no.
- If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
- Any requests for money should be treated with caution. Do not prepay someone you have never met for services or products by way of Interac e-transfer. Do not send currency via Bitcoin ABM at the direction of someone you do not know and trust.
Education helps prevent victimization. You can confirm registered charities by viewing this link. For more information from Public Health Agency of Canada, visit COVID-19.
The Fraud Bureau at Peel Regional Police has not received reports of fraud related to COVID-19 to date, however we encourage our community to learn more about these and other trends currently affecting Canadians by visiting the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
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