The Thunder Bay Police Service would like to remind the public to be on guard against possible fraud when making online purchases.
When making purchases online, shoppers should avoid making any kind of unsecured payments. Sending e-money transfers to strangers or paying with gift cards, for example, are practices that should be avoided as they may leave people susceptible to fraud.
The TBPS’s Ecomonic Crimes Unit has observed an increase in complaints recently relating to frauds connected to online purchases.
A common scam involves the selling of pets. A person purporting to sell puppies, for example, may request a deposit via e-transfer. Once a payment is made the fraudster may even request additional payments for other services, such as shipping or a special travel kennel.
The payments are accepted by the fraudster without any intention of providing the promised merchandise. While this specific scam often involves pets, almost any kind of merchandise can be used to bait victims.
For more information about ongoing frauds and scams and how you can protect yourself from becoming a victim, visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at https://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/index-eng.htm.