A Nova Scotia woman who was the victim of a “swatting” incident after she refused to follow instructions from an alleged fraudster, who claimed to be from her bank, says she’s still terrified.
Swatting involves people making false reports in order to prompt a significant police response.
“You’re looking over your shoulder all the time,” said Lynn Clark Colpitts. “My anxiety’s through the roof.”
Clark Colpitts says she received a call Friday from a woman who claimed to be from her bank’s fraud department, saying someone had applied for a credit card in her name.
She says she told the caller she hadn’t applied for a credit card. At this point, the caller told Clark Colpitts to download an app on her phone.
Clark Colpitts, who is a realtor, says she even added her company’s IT support employee to a three-way call to check whether this was a scam.
She says IT support advised her to call her own bank independently. When Clark Colpitts told the caller that she wouldn’t be downloading the app and would call her bank herself, she says the caller became angry and threatened her.
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“She just went crazy and just started calling me names and I hung up and then 20 minutes later called me back and told me she had a surprise for me outside,” she said.
She says when she looked outside, she was shocked to see heavily-armed police officers in her yard and on the street.
In a Monday release, Colchester County District RCMP said they received information from Truro Police Service on Friday that a woman was being held hostage by three armed people at a residence in Lower Truro.
“RCMP and Truro Police Service officers responded immediately and located the woman safe at the home,” RCMP said.
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RCMP say the incident highlights how far scammers are willing to go when their schemes are “challenged.”
Police commended the victim for taking the time to verify the information from the caller that claimed to be from her bank, and encouraged others to do the same if they suspect fraud.
RCMP say the investigation into this case is ongoing.
Clark Colpitts says she’s still receiving threatening messages that she describes as “relentless.” She wrote about her situation in a Facebook post and says she wants to warn others.
“Hang up on people that tell you that they’re from the fraud department,” she said. “Just hang up. Don’t answer phone numbers that you’re not aware of.”
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