York police are warning the public of a new “line-tapping” technology being used by fraudsters to scam victims out of money and personal information.
Police said on Nov 6., a woman reported to officers that she received a call from someone informing her she’d been a victim of identity theft. The caller told the woman to call York Regional Police to confirm this was the case.
Investigators said the woman did this and believed she had spoken to police. However, after an investigation into the incident, police determined the caller utilized a line-trapping technology to remain connected to the woman’s phone line.
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Police said when the woman thought she was making the call to police, she was just reconnected back to the suspect. The woman lost money and the suspect was also able to steal her personal information.
Police are warning the public to be cautious whenever they receive calls or emails asking for personal information.
“If a situation feels suspicious, trust your instincts,” a release said Thursday. “Do not be talked into providing personal information or payments if you feel uncomfortable or unsure.”
All businesses and organizations should understand if someone doesn’t want to offer up personal information, the release continued.
“If you wish to confirm a call you receive do so on a delayed time line. Evidence suggests that the line-tapping technology being utilized has a time limit of several minutes.”
Lisanne Roy Beauchamp with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre advised not to trust the phone number attached to the unsolicited call, even if it appears to be from a legitimate organization.
“If you want to know if you are talking to the right person… hang up, wait a couple minutes before you call back or call back from a different line,” said Beauchamp.