A Nanaimo resident is out approximately $24,000 after falling victim to a fraud scheme involving scammers posing as a bank’s fraud department.
Nanaimo RCMP say the victim received multiple phone calls and text messages that appeared to come from an official Royal Bank of Canada number.
Some of the texts included security verification codes, adding to the impression the communication was legitimate.
Believing they were speaking with a representative from Royal Bank of Canada, the victim provided personal information to the caller. Police say that information was then used to access the victim’s accounts and carry out fraudulent transactions.
Police determined the transactions appear to have originated from an IP address in another community. Police are now following up with authorities in that jurisdiction.
In a statement, RBC confirmed it will never ask customers to share verification codes over the phone, by text message, or by email.
According to R/Cst. Gary O’Brien of Nanaimo RCMP, scammers frequently use “call spoofing” to make it look like a legitimate organization is contacting someone.
“Call spoofing is a technique commonly used by scammers to make recipients think that the caller is authentic. Do not trust caller ID,” said O’Brien.
“If you cannot verify who the caller is, hang up. Scammers can make things look and sound very real but protecting yourself is simpler than it seems. If anyone asks for a verification code, take a breath, hang up, and call your bank directly.”
Police are reminding the public to never share verification codes, one-time passcodes, or two-factor authentication codes with anyone. Banks will not ask for that information.
Residents are also advised to avoid clicking links or responding to unsolicited text messages, to monitor their accounts regularly, and to contact their bank directly using a trusted phone number if they have concerns.
Anyone who believes they may have provided personal information to a scammer is encouraged to contact their local police department or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-800-495-8501 or online.
