If someone approaches you at or near a gas station in Ottawa and offers what looks like a gold jewellery piece in exchange for money to fill up their tank, do not make the trade, city police warned Tuesday.
It’s a scam that’s been reported recently across Ontario and has now hit the national capital, according to investigators in the Ottawa Police Service’s organized fraud unit.
What typically happens, police said, is a man or woman approaches a person at a gas station and tells them his or her credit card isn’t working.
The suspect will say they need to gas up — perhaps adding that they’re trying to drive relatives to another city — and will ask to trade a piece of allegedly gold jewellery for money for petrol.
The gold trinket, however, turns out to be a “worthless fake,” police said.
This kind of fraud has occurred in different parts of the city, according to Ottawa police.
Similar scams have also been reported in British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan.
The fraud unit is asking any Ottawa residents who have been victims of this scam to submit a report over the phone at 613-236-1222 ext. 7300 or online at ottawapolice.ca.
Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling Crime Stoppers toll-free at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or by downloading the Ottawa police app.