In the past several weeks, the Winnipeg Police Service has received numerous reports concerning residents receiving fraudulent phone calls. These calls, purporting to be from their Financial institutions, advise that their accounts have been compromised or that there are unauthorized transactions on their accounts. Subsequent interaction between the victim and the suspect, under the guise of securing the victim’s money, ultimately results in money being transferred by the victim and intercepted by the suspect. Often, the incoming number will be made to look like the legitimate number associated with the Financial Institution.
Members of the public are reminded that their Financial Institution will never direct them to move funds or ask for identifying information over the phone.
Should you receive a call claiming to be from your Financial Institution, you should take additional proactive steps to verify its authenticity. Specifically, hang up and call the Financial Institution directly using the number on the back of your financial card.
If you have been victimized, you can file an online report with the Winnipeg Police Service using the Citizen Online Crime Reporting System at www.winnipeg.ca/police.