KITCHENER -- A Guelph woman is out $350 after she fell victim to a phone scam on Monday morning.
According to police, she got a call at around 10:15 from a man who was pretending to work for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Service Ontario.
He reportedly told the victim that her Social Insurance Number was used to obtain credit cards in her name, and that those cards were used to rent a vehicle in which drugs were discovered.
As a result, he said, there was a warrant out for her arrest.
A news release from police said that the victim was told the only way to resolve the matter was to go to a business in downtown Guelph and buy Google Play gift cards. She followed the instructions and bought $350-worth, sending photos of the cards and passwords to the caller via text.
A couple of hours later, the victim realized she had likely been scammed and contacted police.
Officers are reminding the public that a police offer or government official will never ask you to buy and send gift cards. They recommend seeking advice from a family member, friend or other trusted person before following through on instructions from an unknown person.
Anyone who may have information in regard to this incident is asked to contact the Guelph Police Service. You can submit an anonymous tip instead to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
