Peel police is warning residents about a phishing scam targeting residents in Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon.
Several recently reported incidents involved residents who received phone calls from a company named “Utility Savings Expert.” Police say that the company offered victims up to 50% off of various bills, including hydro, gas and phone bills.
The suspect(s) deceived homeowners into sharing their personal billing account information, which they then used to make fake bill payments on the victims’ behalf. Once trust was gained and the homeowner received bill payment confirmation, the suspect transferred a considerable money into the homeowner’s bank account and immediately requested a large sum to be transferred back via e-transfers.
In all incidents, deposits and payments made by the suspect(s) were deemed non-sufficient funds (NSF) by financial institutions, which resulted in a significant financial loss for the victim.
Police say there are a growing number of scams against utility customers. Any requests for money by unknown persons or companies should be treated suspiciously.
Anyone receiving an email, text message or phone call from someone posing as a utility representative offering to pay their bills or send them money, should consider it a scam, police said.
Requests for money should be treated with caution, and an appropriate amount of due diligence should be practiced. Always be cautious about sharing personal information or account information with anyone, investigators advised. Scammers will “spoof” their phone numbers and provide legitimate website information to further gain trust.
Anyone with information regarding this type of scam is asked to contact the Peel Regional Police Fraud Bureau at 905-453-2121 ext. 3335.
Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or by going to www.peelcrimestoppers.ca.
