The North Bay Police Service is alerting residents of an ongoing “inheritance letter” scam, such as the one recently sent to a North Bay resident.
The letter describes the recent death of a fictitious wealthy foreigner who shares the recipient’s last name.
The inheritance scam's goal is to lure the recipient into providing personal information to the letter writer in order to cash in on the attractive inheritance.
The fraudster’s ultimate goal is to either steal the victim’s identity or money.
Police say if you receive a scam letter such as the one described, do not respond.
Recipients of this inheritance scam letter can report receiving it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.) or online at: www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC), which is based in North Bay, is Canada's central repository for data, intelligence and resource material as it relates to fraud. The CAFC's primary goals are prevention through education and awareness, disruption of criminal activities, dissemination of intelligence, support to law enforcement and strengthening partnerships between the private and public sectors.
