Extortion scam targeting Asian people results in $1.76 million in losses
Several members of Asian communities throughout the Waterloo region have been targeted in scams, according to Waterloo Region Police Service (WRPS).
In a media release, police said the financial loss to the victims has totaled approximately $1.76 million.
Since Jan. 2022, officers of the region’s Commercial and Organized Financial Crimes Units have been investigating 12 similar incidents.
The scam involves phone calls to people from so-called courier companies or law enforcement agencies, police said. The messages claim that the individual is accused of being part of a fraud scheme and is under investigation.
Police said the fraudsters then demand money to keep the matter from escalating. Waterloo regional police are informing the public that this is a scam and that law enforcement agencies will not demand payment from you.
The investigation into this scam is ongoing.
If you have been an extortion scam victim, you can file a complaint with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, and make a report with your local Police Service.
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