While it may seem obvious, it’s not a good idea to put hundreds of dollars and your bank cards in your mailbox after receiving a call from a purported bank representative, police reminded Monday.
The Sûreté du Québec (SQ) has once again launched a call for vigilance to Quebecers after hearing of cases of fraud in La Tuque, in Mauricie.
According to the provincial police, the fraudster(s) go to their victims’ homes posing as police officers or representatives of banking institutions. On site, they explain that they detected fraud in their victim’s bank account.
“In order to regularize their situation, the fraudster asks the person to withdraw as much money as possible from their account and place the notes in an envelope with their debit or credit cards, inside their mailbox , taking care to enter their personal identification number (PIN),” detailed the police, specifying that the victims were told that someone would come later to collect the envelope.
Obviously, this is a fraud. Under no circumstances will a banking institution go to the home of one of its clients to demand that their bank account be emptied in order to correct an alleged fraud.
The SQ was not able, on Monday, to specify how many people may have been victims of this scheme or the amounts that were stolen. However, this is the second time in a month that the provincial police have warned La Tuque residents to be wary of fraudsters.
Already last year, three people were arrested in La Tuque for similar fraud.