Police in the South Okanagan are warning of a phone scam that appears to originate from an RCMP detachment.
This week, Summerland RCMP announced that fraudsters are spoofing the Summerland or Penticton RCMP non-emergency lines by using computer software.
Spoofing allows fraudsters to change their display name and phone number, which makes the call appear as if it’s coming from the RCMP.
“In some cases, these fraudsters impersonate local police officers by name,” said police. “Unknowing callers may think that they are receiving a call from the RCMP and this is not the case.”
Police say there are many phone scams in which fraudsters try to pass themselves off as a person of authority, such as a police officer, bank employee or government agent.
“The Summerland RCMP want the public to know that they do not solicit personal information about bank accounts or SIN numbers by phone; nor do they require individuals to withdraw money and convert it to Bitcoin,” said police.
“The RCMP will never ask you to withdraw funds from your bank account.”
If you receive a call and believe it to be a scam, police suggest hanging up and calling the organization by using publicly accessible contact information.
“When in doubt, hang up immediately,” said police.
Summerland and Penticton residents are encouraged to report any fraud to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre by calling 1-888-495-8501 or by going online and clicking here.