Cobourg Police Service is warning residents to be cautious after a 78-year-old woman lost $300 in an email scam earlier this week.
Police say the woman received an email claiming a family member was in hospital and urgently needed support. Believing the message was real, the victim sent $300 in Amazon gift cards to an email provided in the message.
“This type of scam uses emotional language and urgency to pressure victims into quick action,” police said in a statement Friday.
The service is reminding the public to be vigilant and protect themselves by checking the authenticity of any message claiming a family emergency. Officials say to contact the family member directly through trusted means before taking any action.
Police also warn that legitimate groups rarely ask for payment by gift card – a frequent sign of fraud. Poor grammar, misspellings, and unusual email addresses may also suggest a scam.
Suspicious emails should be reported to email providers and law enforcement. Anyone affected by fraud should contact police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or online at antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca.
For updates on the latest scams, visit the Anti-Fraud Centre’s website.
(Written by: Joseph Goden)