Peel police warn of extortion scam targeting South Asians
Peel Regional Police are warning of "a despicable scam" targeting new South Asian-Canadians living in the region.
The force's Fraud Bureau said Friday that several residents have received phone calls from people posing as officials with various federal agencies — informing them that they or their loved ones are under investigation in relation to their citizenship or landed immigrant status and must pay money immediately, or be arrested.
"The caller will go on to provide very specific payment instructions, which may involve making Western Union or Money Gram transfers, sending bank transfers or buying prepaid credit cards in order to make a payment," police said in a statement Friday. "They will also request copies of driver's licence, citizenship documents or passports."
If you receive such a call, police say you should hang up and visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre website www.antifraudcentre.ca
Police say that federal government officials will never contact you and demand money in exchange for securing your citizenship or landed immigrant papers. And officials will not request copies of personal documents which they already have on file.
