York Regional Police is warning residents about an emerging scam impacting our community and others across the Greater Toronto Area involving the sextortion of innocent victims.
Investigators with our Criminal Investigations Bureaus across the region have seen an increase in reports of scams where victims have reported receiving an email from an unknown suspect claiming that they have full control of their computer and cellphone and have compromising images or videos of the victim, sometimes falsely claiming they recorded the victim through the camera during private moments.
The suspect(s) then demand the victim send funds to a Bitcoin wallet or their information will be sent to everyone on their contact list. The scammer may provide personal details like old passwords (often obtained from data breaches) to make their claims seem credible.
Bitcoin is a worldwide crypto currency which is not regulated by any central body, making it impossible for victims to get their money back once deposited into a machine and transferred to a fraudster’s virtual wallet. Bitcoin transactions are difficult to trace, which makes investigations where Canadian currency is turned into Bitcoin particularly challenging for investigators.
Similar incidents have been reported in both Peel Region and Hamilton.
York Regional Police is reminding citizens to be cautious and to confirm any suspicious calls or emails they receive before providing any information or payments. Do not provide any payment and do not respond to the email. Change your passwords and enable two-factor authentication to strengthen your account security. Do not open emails, files or links from unknown sources. Run a malware or virus scan on your computer or device and report the scam to police.
If a situation feels suspicious, trust your instincts and take your time to thoroughly check the facts out. Organized criminals use pressure tactics to convince you to act immediately and with a sense of urgency.
If you have been a victim of this scam or if you have information, please call our non-emergency line 1-866-876-5423.
If you have been a victim of a fraud, and have lost money, report the incident promptly to the York Regional Police Financial Crimes Unit at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 6612.
To report frauds where no money has been lost, contact the the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre online or by calling 1-888-495-8501.
Prepared by: Constable Lisa Moskaluk
24-290032/810929/294584/293952/295632
September 26, 2024
