Posted:
The Integrated Financial Crime Unit of the Criminal Investigation Division is issuing a warning about a fraud targeting bank customers.
Yesterday, police responded to a report of a fraud at a financial institution in Bedford. The elderly female victim reported that she received a call from someone pretending to be a bank investigator seeking help in catching a thief. The suspect asked the victim to drive to her bank, withdraw a large sum of money from her account and then meet the suspect at another location to turn over the money. The suspect assured the victim that the money would be held in a safe place. The money has not been recovered and officers have determined that the incident is a fraud. Police know of another incident where someone received a similar call but didn’t act on it.
Police encourage citizens to be suspicious of any calls asking for money and to make sure the call is legitimate before sending money, withdrawing money or making a donation. Don’t give personal information to anyone, whether solicitation occurs by telephone or in person, unless you have initiated contact or you’re certain of the identification of the individual and the legitimacy of the organization they claim to represent.
Anyone who has been a victim of such a scam is encouraged to report it to the Integrated Financial Crime Unit at 490-1985 or online at https://www.halifax.ca/police/NonDispatch/index.html