Guelph Senior Saved From Gift Card Scam Thanks to Quick-Thinking Staff

It started with a phone call claiming to be from the bank – something many would trust without hesitation. What followed is a reminder of just how convincing and costly these scams can become.

The Guelph Police Service is investigating after alert store staff halted a fraud attempt, saving the victim $1,000.

Tuesday afternoon the victim, in their 80s, contacted police. Earlier in the day they were contacted by someone claiming to be from their bank. The caller claimed there had been unauthorized activity on the victim’s accounts and instructed them to obtain a temporary password for their online banking.

The victim was also instructed to purchase two $500 Apple gift cards and to claim they were gifts if asked. When the victim attempted to purchases the cards staff recognized the scam and advised them to call police.

The victim said they had provided banking information to the caller. A check of the victim’s accounts revealed a fraudulent withdrawal of $500 had been made.

Residents are encouraged to be wary of any telephone call, email or text which requires you to take immediate action. It is always best to independently contact the supposed sender and confirm the legitimacy of the correspondence before taking action.

Anyone who suspects they have been the victim of cybercrime or fraud should report it to their local police and to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre’s online reporting system or by phone at 1-888-495-8501. Even if no financial loss has been sustained, interactions can still be reported to the CAFC. (Occurrence number GU26023996)