Ontario Provincial Police are warning residents to remain vigilant following three separate fraud cases in Norfolk County that resulted in local victims losing more than $150,000 combined.
The most recent incident was reported on Sunday.
A resident had fallen victim to a cryptocurrency investment scam that began in February.
After engaging with what appeared to be a legitimate online investment platform, the victim was persuaded by a so-called investor to deposit roughly $90,000 in hopes of earning substantial returns.
When they attempted to withdraw their funds, they found themselves locked out, prompting them to contact police.
A similar case was reported the previous day.
In that instance, a resident lost $53,000 to another crypto scam, again after responding to an online ad.
The victim was promised high returns but soon realized the platform was fraudulent and unreachable.
On the same day, police were called to investigate a tech support scam.
In that case, a resident received an unsolicited call from someone claiming to work for a computer security company.
The scammer convinced the victim to grant remote access to their computer under the guise of installing antivirus software.
Instead, the individual withdrew $9,500 from the victim’s bank account.
Police are reminding the public that fraudsters prey on trust and urgency, often using professional language, fake platforms, and official-sounding emails or calls to manipulate victims. These scams are part of a growing multi-million-dollar criminal industry that thrives on deception.
Authorities stress the importance of never giving remote access to your devices, never investing in platforms you cannot verify, and speaking with a trusted financial advisor or law enforcement before transferring money online.
Anyone who suspects they’ve been targeted by a scam should report it to police or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.