Chatham-Kent police are warning the public about a telephone scam that tricked a local woman into sending hundreds of dollars to Thailand.
Police say a Chatham woman sent $1,850 to Thailand via Western Union after she got a pair of phone calls yesterday afternoon, one claiming to be from Immigration Canada and one claiming to be from a local police service.
Investigators say they believe the suspects were fraudulently using legitimate numbers to make the calls via a process called "spoofing," which disguises telephone numbers that appear on caller ID display.
Officers say the woman was told she had committed a crime and had two options: she could admit to it or contest it in court. The woman reportedly chose the second option and as a result, she was instructed to send some money overseas to cover court costs and lawyer fees. After she realized she had been the victim of a scam, she called police.
While police continue to investigate this incident, they are also providing the following safety tips for local residents:
- Don’t trust your Caller ID display. It may appear as a legitimate business, but in reality, it may be scammer.
- If you get a call from someone claiming to be from a company or government agency looking for personal information, hang up and call them back using the contact information posted on their website -- this will help you verify the authenticity of their call.
- Never give out personal or financial information over the phone, especially if you did not initiate the call.
