The Niagara Regional Police Police is warning the public of a common scam targeting Niagara residents and customers of Canadian Niagara Power Inc. Individuals are calling residents claiming to be from a utility company demanding payment for an outstanding balance and threatening to disconnect their power if the balance is not paid immediately. The caller then requests credit card information or directs the unsuspecting victim to a retail store to purchase pre-paid credit cards after which they are to provide the caller with the card numbers.
While this may seem obvious on the surface, these individuals are very good at creating a sense of urgency with the victim who in turn let their guard down. This scam has been used to defraud victims of thousands of dollars and has used the name of many reputable businesses and government agencies to convince victims to make quick payments.
People who receive these calls are asked to hang up immediately and not release any personal information over the phone to unsolicated callers.
To leave an anonymous tip, please contact Crime Stoppers via:
Telephone – 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS)
Online – www.niagaratips.com
Text – 274637(CRIMES), keyword Niagara, then your tip.
Crime Stoppers guarantees that you will remain anonymous through any of the methods offered to provide tips. You may also be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000 if the information leads to an arrest.
