Halifax Mounties warn about scam callers claiming to be RCMP, bank reps

After two incidents of fraud cost citizens more than $7,000, the RCMP are reminding Nova Scotians to stop and think before reacting to telephone calls asking for help with police investigations.

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In the first incident, a 64-year-old woman received a telephone call from a man claiming to be an RCMP officer. The woman was advised the RCMP were conducting an investigation into theft and her financial institution and needed her banking information in order to deposit funds as part of his investigation. The victim then logged into her online banking and allowed the man to access her computer, where he appeared to transfer $4,000 to her account.

Police say the victim was then asked to transfer $1,000 to someone in China, which she did multiple times. She was told not to tell anyone about the man’s mission in order to not compromise the investigation and put her in danger.

A complaint was filed with the Lower Sackville RCMP on April 1 after the woman lost about $2,000 before the woman’s bank flagged the transfers and refused to send the cash.

A second complaint was received on April 2, when a 77-year-old man told police he received a call from someone claiming to represent his bank. The victim was advised that he would be required to send money transfers after the RCMP deposited money into his bank account.

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The man complied with the requests and lost more than $5,000.

The RCMP say that their officers or banking institutions would never request access to your bank account over the telephone. They recommend hanging up the phone and not engage with those calling, if they persist Nova Scotians should call their local police.