December 1, 2023

RCMP O Division’s Windsor detachment is advising that their phone number, 519-948-5287, has been spoofed and is being used unlawfully to intimidate and defraud victims.

Be aware that the police:

• Will never ask you to make payments using bitcoin or gift cards,
• Will not show up to your residence to collect money for a child in jail
• Will not ask for your personal information such as your Social Insurance Number (SIN), your date of birth (DOB) or phone number

Please also be aware that the RCMP in Ontario is not the police of jurisdiction. In Ontario, the RCMP enforces federal laws, including national security, border integrity, transnational, serious and organized crime and financial crimes such as cyber crime, money laundering and counterfeiting.

If you suspect that you are being scammed, hang up, wait ten minutes and call your local police service.

Stay informed about the latest scams. If you have been a victim of a scam, please report it to your local police. You can also report any scams to the Canadian Anti Fraud Centre.

Fast facts

Spoofing is when a scammer uses a device to mask their real phone number and display a different number that does not actually belong to the caller.

Scammers have the technology to keep a spoofed phone number for 10 minutes. That is why we recommend that you wait 10 minutes after hanging up to call your local police.

source: https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/news/2023/beware-spoof-calls