Peel Regional Police – Police Warn Against Utilities Phishing Scam
The Voice of Canada News:
Region of Peel –The Peel Regional Police Fraud Bureau is warning residents about a Phishing scam targeting residents in the Region of Peel.
Several recently reported incidents involved residents who received phone calls from a company named “Utility Savings Expert.” 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.
There are a growing number of scams against utility customers. Any requests for money by unknown persons or companies should be treated suspiciously.
Investigators would like to remind the public of the following:
- If you receive an email, text message or phone call from someone posing as a utility representative offering to pay your bills or send you money, consider it a scam.
- Requests for money should be treated with caution, and an appropriate amount of due diligence should be practiced.
- Always be cautious about sharing your personal information or account information with anyone.
- Scammers will “spoof” their phone numbers and provide legitimate website information to further gain trust.
Education is the key to prevention with this type of fraud. To learn more about this and other scams affecting Canadians, residents are encouraged to visit: www.antifraudcentre.ca .
