Halton police warn residents of cellphone provider impersonation scam

Halton police are warning residents about a cellphone provider impersonation scam involving criminals who impersonate cellphone providers to steal mobile devices and commit identity fraud.

Officers say in most cases, fraudsters often trick victims into schemes involving new cellphones and wireless service accounts, leaving them with thousands of dollars in unauthorized charges.

Police say they learned that victims are receiving unsolicited telephone calls from people claiming to represent legitimate cellphone service providers.

Investigators say the fraudsters often offer discounted wireless plans, account upgrades or complimentary cellphones as part of a promotional or customer loyalty program.

Fraudsters may already possess personal information about the victim to make the offer appear credible.

During the phone call, victims may be asked to provide additional account details or verification information, which is then allegedly used to gain access to their wireless account.

Officers say the fraudsters contact the victim once a device is delivered, claiming that an error has occurred.

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These errors range from the incorrect model, colour or device being shipped. The victim is then instructed to return the device using a prepaid shipping label or QR code provided by the caller.

Police say these shipping labels and return instructions are fraudulent and redirect the devices to the suspects or addresses under their control instead of back to the legitimate cellphone service provider.

As a result, victims give away the phones but are still stuck paying the monthly bills and device costs.

The fraud is often not discovered until the victim receives a bill showing unauthorized device purchases, additional wireless services or charges associated with the new phones.

Sometimes victims may even remain responsible for these costs as the devices were never returned to the legitimate cellphone service provider.

Police are encouraging residents to be cautious of unsolicited calls offering deals or discounts and to never provide personal information to these types of calls.

Residents are also advised to independently verify any offer by contacting the actual cellphone provider using a telephone number obtained from the provider’s official website.

Anyone who believes they may be a victim of this scam are advised to hold onto any receipts related to the incident, monitor financial and wireless accounts for suspicious activity and report the incident to both the police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

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