Alert Issued on Impersonation Scams in Eastern Ontario

Authorities in Eastern Ontario have raised concerns over an emerging online scam where fraudsters impersonate RCMP investigators to deceive residents. The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) reported a recent incident in Hawkesbury, where a local resident was misled by a fraudulent tech support scam. The scammer gained remote access to her computer under the guise of solving a virus issue and falsely claimed her IP address was linked to criminal activities, attempting to impersonate an RCMP cyber crimes investigator. The OPP has advised the public to be cautious of unsolicited communications requesting remote access or personal information. Reports from the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre indicate significant losses due to similar scams, highlighting the need for increased vigilance among citizens. The OPP urges those affected to report such incidents to help prevent further fraud.