On Dec. 31 Napanee OPP received a report of a fraud through the popular social media website Facebook.
The victim was communicating with a Facebook friend not knowing that the account had been hacked.
The alleged friend convinced the victim to put $3,500 into a bank account provided by the false Facebook friend. The victim was told that if this money was deposited than the victim would in return receive $300,000 from the federal government as this money had been set aside for disabled workers via a grant.
The victim had already deposited the money before it was learned that this was a scam.
The OPP would like to make everyone aware that this type of fraud is an attempt to take your money. Asking for money to get money is not a valid way to do business. Also the “inheritance” type frauds are sent in an attempt to ultimately defraud victims of money or steal personal information. Legitimate estates do not solicit trustees or heirs in this manner and do not promise to carry out the exercise ‘through the back door’. At some point in this fraud the victim will be asked to provide personal information or to pay “banking fees” to release the fortune. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is not true.
For more information on this and other types of fraudulent scams, please go to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre website at: http://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/english/home.html
Anyone with any information or anyone that can identify the suspect is asked to contact the Napanee OPP at 613-354-3369 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477(TIPS).