The Lethbridge Police Service station (Lethbridge News Now)

By Justin Goulet

Two residents defrauded significant sums of money

Jun 25, 2020 | 11:16 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Police in Lethbridge are reminding residents to be aware of phone scams.

On June 23, a 69-year-old woman reported that she had been contacted by a man who told her she won a vehicle and a large cash prize in the STARS Lottery.

The victim had previously bought STARS tickets, and according to LPS, she believed that the phone call was legitimate. Police say the scammer told the woman that she needed to send just over $1,800 by wire transfer to an address in British Columbia to pay for the delivery cost of the vehicle.

A later call was received by a second scammer who claimed to be a lawyer for the organization. LPS says the money was subsequently sent and upon completion of the transaction, the woman received a third call indicating that an additional $15,000 was required to cover the insurance cost for the delivery of the cash and vehicle. Police say no further cash was provided.

“Fraudsters will often use the good name of legitimate organizations to make their scam seem credible,” Lethbridge Police stated in a release.

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“STARS Lottery does not ask winners to front money to claim a prize. Winners are contacted by mail and can check for their names online or by calling the organization directly.”

Police added that on Monday, June 22, a 30-year-old woman reported that she had been contacted by a man who claimed her Social Insurance Number had been compromised and fraudulent accounts had been opened in her name.

The caller advised her to withdraw money from her accounts and deposit it into a bitcoin machine. The victim withdrew and deposited $5,000 into a bitcoin machine at a local service station. The caller advised her that she would receive a receipt by text message and that he or police would be in touch with her when the fraudulent accounts had been secured.

LPS reported that later in the day, the victim received a text indicating that she had been scammed, would not receive her money back and was advised that she should call the police.

“Police remind residents to always be wary of phone calls from anyone claiming an individual is under investigation, has had their personal information compromised, has warrants for their arrest or owes money for some other purpose – especially those demanding payment in the form of bitcoin transfer, gift cards, pre-paid credit cards and wire transfers,” stated the LPS.

“These tactics are not used by police or for tax collection purposes.”

Police are advising residents to not provide any personal information or funds and to not return calls to any number the caller provides.

Residents are reminder that to confirm the legitimacy of the phone call, it’s important to always contact the agency the caller claims to represent directly.