The Thunder Bay Police Service is advising the public about a group of fraudsters who may be headed to the Thunder Bay.
The individuals of this group are believed to be from Romania and speak with an Eastern European accent. They travel through cities across the country, targeting mostly seniors before leaving to a new target city or town.
The fraudsters typically attend big box stores like Wal-Mart and begin using a tactic known as “shoulder surfing.” A shoulder surfer strategically observes people entering their personal identification number (PIN) for their credit or debit cards.
Once a fraudster has identified the PIN of a target, they will follow their victim outside and attempt to create a distraction to steal the card for fraudulent use.
They may approach their victim and ask for directions, attempt to give them money they claim their victim dropped, or otherwise try to offer help or ask for help from their would-be victims. The style of these distractions is typically casual and not confrontational.
The Thunder Bay Police Service would like to remind the public to be extra diligent in hiding their PINs and to be aware of your surroundings when making credit or debit card purchases.
If you believe you are the target of one of these frauds, or are approached by these individuals, please call the Thunder Bay Police Service immediately.