York police warn not to trust call display

York Regional Police is warning the public not to trust call display, and to be cautious of suspicious calls or emails from scammers impersonating officers.

“Never trust the information displayed on an incoming call,” police said in a media release last week. “If a situation feels suspicious, trust your instincts.”

In recent incidents, police said fraudsters have phoned victims posing as police officers. Fraudsters will ask the victim to provide a monetary payment, cryptocurrency or financial information in order to prevent their assets from being seized or frozen, York police warn.

Police won’t make phone calls demanding money or detailed personal information.

People who have concerns about the possibility of being involved in a police or criminal investigation are asked to confirm directly with their local police service.

Police said a large number of frauds that occur over the phone involve the use of phone number spoofing, where suspects use software programs or other technology to change their caller ID to display false information. “Suspects can make it appear as though a call is coming from any organization or business. In most cases, they pose as government agencies, police services, the Canada Revenue Agency and other legal entities,” police explained in the release.

This tax season, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre warned of a new scam that targets victims by including personal information like their name, date of birth or social insurance number and requesting money while posing as the Canada Revenue Agency.