The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) has issued a public warning after observing a significant increase in a new scam that preys on unsuspecting cell phone users, particularly those with Telus accounts.
In the scam, fraudsters impersonate representatives from cell phone carriers, promising new phones at extremely low rates. They convince victims to providing sensitive personal information, including security codes and account passwords.
Once in possession of this information, scammers access the victim's legitimate account to order a new phone, which is shipped to the victim's address.
"The scam can be hard to spot at first, because the scammer is using the complainant’s actual cell phone account to order and ship them the phone," said Detective Linda Herczeg from the EPS Financial Crimes Section. "That’s why we are warning citizens of this sophisticated scam."
Victims are then instructed to call back upon receiving the phone, only to be told there's an issue, necessitating the return of the device to an address provided by the scammer.
Unknowingly, victims send the new phone directly to the scammer, leaving themselves responsible for the charges incurred.
As of December 18, the EPS documented 91 cases related to the scam, with the total reported financial loss exceeding $600,000.
To combat the fraudulent activities, the EPS is urging residents to never share login information and to verify caller identity.
"If you have lost money or provided personal information to this scam, please don’t hesitate to contact police," said Herczeg.
The EPS urges vigilance and immediate reporting of any suspicious activities to help curb the scam.
Residents are encouraged to stay informed and be wary of unsolicited offers, especially those that seem too good to be true.