York police issued an advisory telling the public not to trust the information displayed on caller ID or the phone number displayed for incoming calls after reports of fraudulent calls with suspects claiming to be from the Newmarket Courts or the Crown Attorney’s office.
In recent incidents, fraudsters have contacted victims by telephone and identified themselves as a Crown Attorney or judge from the Newmarket Courts. The fraudster tells the victim to provide a monetary payment or financial information to avoid their assets from being seized or frozen.
Police said neither the Ontario Court of Justice nor the Crown Attorney’s office make phone calls demanding money or detailed personal information. Any call or email of this nature should be considered a scam.
Anyone who has concerns about the possibility of being involved in a police or criminal investigation, this discuss and confirmed it directly with local police service.
A large number of frauds that occur over the phone involve the use of phone number spoofing. This involves the suspects utilizing software programs or other technology to alter the caller ID to display false information. Suspects can make it appear as though a call is coming from any organization or business. In most cases, they pose as government agencies, police services, the Canada Revenue Agency and other legal entities.
Police say one should confirm who they are speaking to through their own research and never trust the information displayed on an incoming call. And if a situation feels suspicious, trust your instincts. Do not be talked into providing personal information or payments by methods that one is unfamiliar or uncomfortable with and call companies or agencies back to verify information.
If you have been a victim of a fraud and have lost money, report the incident promptly to York Regional Police either online at https://www.yrp.ca/en/online-reporting/Report-a-Crime.asp or by calling 1-866-876-5423. To report frauds where no money has been lost, contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre online or by calling 1-888-495-8501.
