Prince Edward OPP are warning the public to be cautious when speaking and transferring money over the telephone after a local resident was defrauded of $6,000 last week.

Members of the Prince Edward County Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to multiple fraud occurrences involving the targeting of local residents.

On Thursday an individual reported being defrauded through an emergency scam.

A local victim contacted OPP to report receiving a call that a family member had been involved in a collision and charged with impaired driving. A party claiming to be her lawyer went on to ask for $6,000 for bail or else she would be held in jail for a period of time. The money was transferred and it was later determined the whole scenario was fraudulant.

A day prior, an individual reported being contacted by a party claiming to be from a software company. The fraudsters then accessed the victim’s computer and had access to the individual’s bank account. Quick action by the victim to contact the bank allowed for the transactions to be cancelled.

The Prince Edward County OPP have partnered with CIBC and the Prince Edward County Community Care for Seniors Association to present “Protecting Yourself from Fraud”.

Today from 1:30 – 2:30, join an exclusive presentation at the Wellington on the Lake Recreation Centre at 14 Empire Boulevard to help you feel more informed on the latest scams and the actions you can take to keep your personal information and finances safe.

Topics such as ‘how to identify the different types of fraud and the latest scams’, ‘actions you can take to protect yourself’, and ‘steps you can take if you have fallen victim to fraud’ are the main focuses of the presentation.

Refreshments will be served.

For more information and/or to reserve your spot please email Coreen Reynolds at [email protected] or call her at 613-921-3818