A Guelph man is out $28,500 after falling prey to a crypto currency scam promoted on social media, say police.
In late June, the man saw an ad that depicted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaking at a news conference, with a banner at the bottom claiming the government was removing taxes on investments and urging people to take advantage.
“The victim clicked on the link, believing it to be legitimate,” states a police news release.
After speaking with several people on the phone, the man created a Bitcoin account and, between early July and mid-August, sent 10 e-transfers from his bank account to an email address said to be connected to his crypto account.
Last week, when he attempted to withdraw funds from his account, he received a phone call advising him that in order to do so he needed to pay capital gains tax.
At that point, he became suspicious and called police.
“Such online frauds are almost impossible to investigate due to the anonymous and often multi-national nature of the crimes. Residents are strongly urged to be cautious when interacting with unknown parties online,” the news release notes.
“Anyone who suspects they have been the victim of cybercrime or fraud should report it to their local police and to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre’s online reporting system or by phone at 1-888-495-8501. Even if no financial loss has been sustained, interactions can still be reported to the CAFC.”
