Osoyoos residents warned of phone/internet fraud

Osoyoos RCMP are warning residents to beware of phone and computer scams circulating in the south Okanagan town.

Area commander Sgt. Jason Bayda said the tax scam targets victims being told they have a debt owed to a government agency and a warrant has been issued for their arrest.

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“The victims are often asked for personal information and provided avenues of how to pay the debt to have the warrant vacated,” a statement from the detachment said.

“People are reminded to not provide any personal information and to not send money to these fraudsters. If in doubt, call the police or the government agency directly.”

Bayda said a second scam making the rounds involves a phone call to a person advising them their loved one has been arrested and in order for them to be released, bail must be paid.

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The fraudster may ask for banking information or advise the person to go to the bank and make a deposit to an account.

The caller often becomes threatening or uses coercive language.

Bayda said in one recent incident, a fraudster used a phone-spoofing app to make it look like the call was from a relative’s phone, making the scam even more believable.

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Bayda said the detachment is not aware of anyone actually being scammed out of money, although the attempted phone-spoofing fraud came very close.

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