Article content
Toronto Police say a phone scam over the past few weeks involves impersonation of the police service.
Article content
Police say the scam is largely happening in Alberta and Saskatchewan.
Article content
According to police, the scam involves a scammer calling a resident and stating they are a police officer. They use the name of a real officer whose name and number are posted on the TPS website, if questioned, and the scammer tells the person they can confirm the information by visiting the TPS website.
The scammer informs the person that copies of their identification have been located during an investigation and asks them to confirm that they are not involved. They then request a video call to see the person and confirm their identity, at which point the scammer requests the person provide their identification by showing a government-issued ID.
Article content
-
92-year-old man charged with sexual assault: Toronto Police
-
Toronto cops investigating two early-morning shootings Sunday
It is believed the scammer is obtaining the victim’s ID for fraudulent purposes.
Police are reminding the public that officers will not demand your identification over a video call. A local police service would visit in person to confirm your identity and involvement in an investigation.
Police will never request cash, crypto-currency, valuables, or any form of payment during an investigation.
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 416-808-4200 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).