From fake cellphone upgrades to rental listings and parking ticket texts, scammers are using a mix of phone calls, online ads and phishing messages to trick Ontario residents into handing over money, personal information or expensive devices.

Here are four scams making the rounds in Ontario in August:

Scammers pose as representatives from telecommunications companies and contact people with offers for discounted service, free upgrades or new devices.

The caller may already have some personal information, making the offer seem legitimate.

Victims are then persuaded to upgrade their phone, add new lines or order tablets and other devices through their actual telecommunications account.

Because the order is placed legitimately, the device is shipped to the victim’s home. The scammer later contacts the victim again and claims there was a shipping mistake, such as the wrong model or colour being sent.

Victims are then told to return the device using a prepaid shipping label or QR code supplied by the caller. Police say those labels redirect the devices to the scammers instead of the telecommunications provider.

Victims can be left responsible for thousands of dollars in device financing, outstanding balances and monthly service fees.

Police advise people to verify any unexpected upgrade or return instructions directly with their telecommunications provider using an official website, app, verified phone number or in-store representative.

Fraudsters advertise apartments or other rental properties online and arrange for prospective tenants to view the unit before asking them to sign rental agreements and send deposits.

In some cases, victims may even meet people at the property who claim to be the current tenants or representatives of the landlord, making the listing appear legitimate.

After sending money by e-transfer, victims later discover the apartment is unavailable and the person posing as the landlord can no longer be contacted.

Police recommend independently verifying the identity of landlords and property owners before sending money and avoiding pressure to sign agreements or provide deposits without completing proper checks.

Residents are receiving text messages or emails claiming they have unpaid municipal parking tickets and directing them to a link to pay the outstanding balance.

The messages may appear to come from a local municipality but are actually designed to steal personal or financial information.

Officials in several Ontario communities have warned that municipalities do not typically notify residents about outstanding parking tickets through unsolicited text messages.

Individuals are advised not to click links or provide payment information in response to suspicious messages.

Those unsure whether they have a legitimate parking penalty should contact their municipality directly or use its official website to verify the ticket.

Fraudsters posing as psychics, fortune tellers or spiritual healers may target people who believe they or their loved ones are facing supernatural danger.

The scammer builds trust before claiming that the victim or family members could suffer serious harm unless money is paid for rituals, spiritual protection or other services.

Police say these schemes can involve repeated payments over long periods, with victims manipulated through fear and increasingly serious warnings.

Anyone who believes they may have been the victim of fraud is encouraged to contact their local police service and report the incident to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or through its online reporting system.

—With files from Karen Longwell and Glenn Hendry. 


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