Police warn of extortion and cartel scams
The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) has received over 80 extortion and cartel type Internet scam reports since the beginning of 2022.
An extortion scam involves the exchange of compromising photos or personal information after which the fraudster will ask the victim to pay money or the information will be distributed publicly.
A cartel scam involves sending a message to a potential victim demanding money or threatening harm to their families from the cartel.
Here are some safety tips:
- Make sure security features are updated on electronic devices and that social media accounts are private
- Ensure you personally know the person you are conversing with on the Internet
- Do not provide personal or financial information or compromising photos to someone over the Internet
- Do not click on links in unsolicited emails/texts
- Don't send a money deposit when buying items before receiving them
- If someone sounds too good to be true, they probably are
Learn more at ottawapolice.ca.
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