BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association
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The online advertisement was irresistible: Invest in cryptocurrency and wait for the money to roll in.
But the ad was a lie.
Instead, police in Norfolk County say a silver-tongued fraudster bilked a resident out of $76,000.
According to an OPP release, the victim responded to an advertisement last October and was soon connected to a would-be “investor” who talked them through how to park their money in cryptocurrency.
The fraudster promised “significant returns,” police allege.
But while the money went out – to the tune of $76,000 over five months, before the victim called police on Monday – no profits ever materialized.
To avoid being scammed, police suggest residents do their homework before investing to make sure the opportunity is legitimate.
Residents should not share personal information with people they do not know, and use skepticism when evaluating offers promising risk-free returns.
If it sounds too lucrative to be true, police say, it probably is.
Learn more about fraud and cybercrime by calling the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or visiting antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca.
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